Fostering mental well-being: Students and teachers discuss mental health

The following story was written by a student on The Staff of The Jaguar Times as part of Hilliard Bradley High School’s Production Course.

By Erin Copeland

Staff Writer

The school counselors left to right are Mr. McCabe, Mrs. Holt, Mrs. Phillips, Mrs Buscemi. Photo courtesy of Mrs. Holt.

High school can be a big, stressful mess for students, especially entering the second half of the school year. School can require a lot of energy with schoolwork, tests, grades, and friends. On top of the workload, balancing schoolwork and a social life can also be a struggle. 

At Hilliard Bradley High School, a great set of school counselors are available to help with the stress. Mrs. Buscemi, one of the school counselors at Bradley, says, “School can be stressful, especially if we have other responsibilities outside of school - it can make us feel like we’re carrying a weight on our shoulders!” The staff at Bradley wants to help their students deal with the stress and have an excellent Bradley experience. 

Every student's life is different. People have different things going on that other students have no idea about. It can be hard, but always remember to take time for yourself. Peyton Brooks (10) says, “I go on drives after school to relax.” Doing little things to relax is great for our body to de-stress. 

While focusing on school is important, it’s also important to focus on stuff you like outside of school as well, whether that’s doing something you love or just relaxing. Mrs. O'Neil, one of the mental health specialists at Bradley, lists some ways on how to deal with stress, including “time management, healthy lifestyle, mindfulness and relaxation techniques, set realistic goals, seek support, breaks and leisure activities, organizational skills, learn to say no, positive thinking, and professional help.” Creating a schedule, deep breathing, and asking for help are just a few of many ways to deal with stress. We all have stress in our lives that we need to know how to deal with in a healthy way. 

School is a lot for students sometimes. But it’s not all bad, because school can be a fun place as well. Tyler Syemore (11) says, “School can be very tiring but it doesn’t really affect me too bad... sometimes it’s better than just being at home.” School can be a great environment to see your friends and learn at the same time. 

If you are struggling with mental health and need help but don’t know where to start, you can talk to an adult like Mrs. Buscemi, Mrs. O'Neil, or any staff member at Bradley. You can also call or text the crisis help line 988 or the safe school helpline 1-800-418-6423.