by Lea Youngman
It’s no question that student stress levels are high.
Between homework, extracurriculars, sports, tests, research papers, after-school jobs, social media, and PSATs, some students find it hard to find their zen.
Senior Ben Igo said he feels stressed when he has multiple tasks going on at once because he likes to be organized and orderly.
In fact, in a recent survey conducted by the Tribune, nearly half of YSHS students say stress impacts their school performance in a negative way.
Standards at York Suburban are high. Teachers expect a lot. And in order to achieve academically, students need practice. In the form of homework. Most students (80%), complete at least 2 hours of homework each night, while 30% of students spend 4-6 hours on homework each night.
Freshman Asher Ruppert said that his main stress trigger is “when teachers assign large amounts of homework for a night.” Ruppert said it would help if “the teachers could meet together and work out homework schedules for all their classes so students don’t feel overworked.” Ruppert typically spends about an hour and a half on homework each night.
And then there are the tests. Over half of YSHS students have text-induced anxiety.
Some students, 29%, can’t even get away from stress when they go home, saying life at home creates stress.
There are many ways students manage their stress. Some sleep, listen to music, or take breaks when they are stressed out. But, respondents to the survey are looking for more. They say that more help from the school with ways to manage stress would help.
Igo said that having less work outside of class would lessen his stress level. Junior Branden Brown agreed. He said that the workload should decrease considering the out-of-school activities students are involved with.
Guidance counselor Suzann Pranaitis said that over the years, stress levels have increased with students. She says that stress does have an effect on students and that the issue has been discussed in previous meetings.
She said, “There is always room for improvement. A lot of discussion is going on, and we are trying to brainstorm ways to decrease the school-based stress levels; however, no solutions have been found.”
The guidance department works with an outside force who can handle some of these issues. There is indeed a talking point about stress levels around the school, in meetings and between teachers.