Most people have something that makes them stressed in their everyday life and it’s no different at Dobie. From staff to students, stress is a part of life. But it’s how you deal with stress that matters.

According to The Hill website, one of the most common reported sources that cause stress is school, at 83%. With the pressures of assignments, GPA, extra-curricular activities and more, it’s no wonder that people named it as a major cause of stress. 

The amount of stress that Dobie students face varies. Some deal with lower amounts of stress while others are involved in many activities and have challenging coursework to deal with. 

Anna Kemter, an 8th grader at Dobie said that doesn’t surprise her. “Definitely, school is a huge stressor for me, from the people to the seemingly endless work. I can never get a break,” she said.

Kemter is a GT student who takes orchestra and journalism ll as electives, plays in the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio, the president of NJHS and she is an officer in UIL and competes in academic UIL as well. 

According to the Accredited online school, stress for middle schoolers is usually from overload on homework and busy schedules. A study showed that students that have 5 classes spend an average of 3 hours a night on homework.

Avery Bruno an 8th grader said,”It’s actually the source of pretty much all my stress. I think it’s because I try to balance my home life with school, having seven classes just piles the work on and on,” said Bruno. “If I’m absent just for one day, it puts so much stress on me because it means I have double the work, plus the chores and everything else at home.”

Psychology Science says stress can cause physical changes and can influence our ability to make decisions. Bruno agrees with this statement. “It very much affects the way I make decisions because I stop thinking rationally. It helps when I talk to a friend because they help me calm down and then I can see clearly,” she said.

Janea Francis, an 8th grader at Dobie said she turns to movement to help her deal with stress. “When I’m stressed I dance to clear my mind from what was bothering me,” she said.

Understood.org website says that stress can build up so finding something to release the pressure can be helpful. It can be anything from listening to music to exercise. Joseph Reyna, an 8th grader, said that he also has a go-to for his stress. ” I usually listen to music to clear my mind, or have a conversation or laugh with friends if it gets bad,” he said.

Not only does school put stress on students, but also its teachers and staff. Mrs. Cerulli, a teacher at Dobie said,”I get stressed when my work piles up. I like to keep on top of my work and when there are several items that haven’t been completed, I feel stressed.”

Mrs. Cerulli says she tries to stay organized with lists to help her be proactive in dealing with stress. 

“I try to keep a list of items that need to be done and checking them off as they are done helps me feel better,” she said.

For more information:

1.https://www.understood.org/en/friends-feelings/managing-feelings/stress-anxiety/10-ways-to-help-your-middle-or-high-schooler-manage-stress

2.https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/healthcare/312726-the-growing-teen-epidemic-stress

3.https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/student-stress/

4.https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/under-pressure-stress-and-decision-making