The following story was written by by a student on the Staff of The Jaguar Times as part of Hilliard Bradley High School’s Production Course.
by Lina Elmajdoubi
Opinion Editor
December is the perfect time of year because people look back on the past year and start making memories for the new one. Students get excited to plan things with their friends and go on trips or vacations.
This time comes with a lot of advantages but also with sadness, considering it becomes hard to get back into the regular school routine. Claire Copeland (10) says, she’s worried about “not getting good enough grades, stress, having panic attacks at school, and not being perfect.” Life should never be about being perfect, but about trying your hardest in every class and at the end of the day knowing that you did your best.
Mr. Mays, an Algebra 2 and Geometry teacher says, “Some advice I would give to a student who is stressed about the second semester is to break things up into small talks and accomplish your goals one thing at a time. Rome wasn’t built in one day and you’re not going to pass all your classes at once” Even if you fall behind, there is always a way to catch up if you're determined and willing to put in the work.
On the other hand, Lauren Schuler (11) took a different approach “I feel like the second semester is going to go by pretty fast and I can’t wait to see how the end of the school year goes.” Lots of students are looking forward to the end of the school year.
Mrs. Buscemi, one of Bradley’s guidance counselors, shares her input with one of her tips. “Talk to someone. Whether it’s a friend, a family member, a counselor, a teacher or a coach, talk it out! It’s important to verbalize what’s going on so it doesn’t stay ‘stuck’ in your brain.” This is great advice if you're dealing with something that you can’t forget about.
One of the best ways to deal with academic stress is to talk to one of your teachers or counselors and ask for help. It can be hard asking for help for many different reasons. Visit the Student Services office to meet with your school counselor if you would like to discuss your experience.