It is officially that time of year again. The time of year when school gets closer to ending and the weather gets warmer. The trees turn green and lovely spring showers make the world so fresh and clean. Sounds nice right? Yeah it does.
Too bad high students aren’t able to enjoy it.

As the flowers of spring grow so do the stress levels of high school students. For the past week or two I have come to school and noticed many students shuffling around with dark circles under their eyes carrying their heavy books everywhere they go. Some sit in corners frantically finishing up homework, some curl up for a nap on their desk and some even sit in class and try their hardest not to cry as more homework is assigned to them. I feel like these signs are a cry for help.

As the year comes to a close everything becomes crazy. Teachers realize that they need to cover much more material than what they have actually gotten through so they move at faster paces and assign more work to students. On top of this spring sports are in full swing and every coach is expecting the most out of their players, even if that means they miss crucial study time to throw a ball around or swim laps. Activities are also coming to a close and end of the year competitions fill students schedules with practices and rehearsals. Seniors also have to deal with the end of the year and graduation stress. Some how they must find a time to decide which college they are going to, apply for last-minute scholarships, plan their graduation party and complete all of the miscellaneous things that they are required to do.

All of this is more than enough to make a person have a mental breakdown. I know multiple people, including myself, who have, at some point, have ended up crying because of all that is needed to do.

Many teachers and parents would say that it is the student fault for creating their own schedule that is so packed full but the reality is that they are the ones who push us to be involved in so many things in the first place. They always encourage us to be involved as we can and then get upset when we couldn’t finish their homework because there was a softball game the night before, play practice and three scholarship applications were due.

The end of the year is insane time, we all know that, but it is also the time where students are pushed to their breaking points. Between practicing a solo, rehearsing for the play, attending swim practice, completing scholarship applications, deciding what college I want to go to, finding a summer job, planning my graduation party, writing papers, working on the yearbook, completing homework and studying for tests I hardly have enough time to eat let alone actually enjoy myself. It’s madness! At times I feel like I should just give up and live in a box on the side of the river.

This is why I ask…teachers please try to not overwhelm your students. They are stressed and tired and just ready to be done with school. Give them time to complete their work and be patient with them because they have lots going on.

Students, take a deep breath and relax. Make lists about what you have to do, use a planner and every once in a while take a break from all of your studying and go out and enjoy the sunshine. School will be out before you know it so event though it seems impossible, let’s try are hardest not to stress out about the end of the year.