Contact a South conselor for information on stress management.

Students at South High – like students everywhere – sometimes deal with mental and emotional struggles due to school, work and life. This stress can then cause anxiety, feelings of being overwhelmed and mental burnout. The academic pressure is real, and many students find themselves stuck in the hole of keeping up their grades while also trying to be a part of extracurricular activities, social events and jobs. With all of the above, being a student is bound to cause stress. So what can students do about it?

South Senior Daniela Lara said she tries to find simple things to help her get through the rough moments in life.

“I believe that being in the presence of my cat, Moshi, and being outside on a beautiful windy day is therapeutic for me,” she said. Not only does Lara find this helpful, but she also said she has a list of coping mechanisms she uses when she’s feeling anxious. These mechanisms include listening to music, sleeping and talking to her sister or friends for advice when necessary.

Lara added that while anxiety isn’t much of an issue for her, she does tend to feel anxious when she has class work that isn’t finished.  When asked how she defines the term “mental health,” she said  that “mental health is someone’s well-being.”

South Junior Yesenia Lara said her biggest challenge right now is finding ways to stay on top of her grades, homework and extracurricular activities even though she just got out of a year-long relationship. And while not everyone believes that therapy can be beneficial, Lara said she does. She said she thinks that having someone who can listen, give advice and dedicate their time specifically to a person can be a benefit.

When asked about what South provides for students looking to increase their mental health awareness, Counselor Leslie Wilkinson shared a list of resources she and her colleagues provide including South’s own counseling department where students get the opportunity to speak with their counselors one-on-one about issues they face. Wilkinson also said South has two social workers and many community connections such as BoysTown. Wilkinson added that anxiety and depression are among the most common reasons students seek out their counselors.

The number of students who have reached out to their counselors regarding their mental health has dropped due to fewer cases of Covid-19, Wilkinson said; however, the number of students visiting the guidance office during holidays and personal events usually increases. Wilkinson said she believes that because of the number of resources that are now provided for students, the number looking for assistance has also decreased.