Mason Bryant

Working out: Senior Brady Sciuto exercising at the gym, July 18, 2022.

          According to Cross River Therapy, 45% of students in high school admit to being stressed almost every day in school. Students are stressed out and some have found fun activities that relieve stress. 

          Foran School Counselor Mrs. Kelianna O’Brien says, “Stress is taxing on the mind and body. Finding ways to relieve stress will improve all areas of one’s life.”

          Going to the gym is a great way to relieve stress. 

          Senior Brady Sciuto says, “I recently purchased a gym membership and I can already see improvements on my stress levels. Most of my stress comes from my school work and time management. The gym has made me feel more rejuvenated and makes me more productive.” 

          Not only does exercise increase your overall health and your sense of well-being, but it pumps up your endorphins. 

          O’Brien adds, “A positive way for students to relieve stress is to prioritize self care- getting Vitamin D, engaging in activities that make them happy, exercising (walking, going to the gym, playing a sport), setting achievable goals with action steps to reach the goals, journaling, listening to music, eating healthy meals.”

Many students have been playing the Watermelon Game, an addictive puzzle game that can relieve stress.

          Psych central  says, Puzzle games have been shown to lead to a lower cardiovascular stress response, these types of games require organization skills and challenges that help you unwind. 

           Although some students play just for fun, some find playing the Watermelon Game during downtime a great way to destress in the middle of the school day.

          Senior Connor Oliveras says, “I like to play Watermelon Game as well as other puzzle games in class on my phone, it calms me down during the stressful school day.”

          Most video games are fun and engaging. Gaming produces a release of dopamine, or the happy hormone, which will make you feel good and help you cope with the stresses of everyday life.

          The New York Times Games are daily logic puzzles that keep you engaged and excited to play. Popular games that students play are Wordle, The Crossword, and Connections.  These games help students destress and make them feel good about themselves when they beat the puzzle.

          Cross River Therapy  also adds that the U.S ranks first as the country with the most stressed students, and 53% of Connecticut students are stressed. Trying out some stress relieving activities could be a good idea to lower stress levels for students. 

          Exam pressure, financial, relationship, time management, and academic stress are all the leading causes of stress for students. 

          Although there are many ways to relieve student stress, O’brien believes in, “Prioritizing yourself, your emotions, and your state of mind will have a positive snowball effect on living a more positive life!”