When you think of the frame of mind of high school students, what is the one mood that comes to mind? Most people tend to say “stressed,” but is there any basis to the claim that stress is a big issue? As we all know, some stress is beneficial, as it can motivate us, but at the same time being over-stressed is not healthy, and in extreme cases is even dangerous for your health. I interviewed a few people from each grade level to see if they feel really stressed in school, or if its just an exaggeration of emotions. 

To no one’s surprise, a majority of students said that, yes, school is a very stressful place to be. Responses regarding stress triggers included obvious complaints like “too much homework” and “having to get up too early,”  but one cause really stood out to me–“nicotine,” which is a whole other topic that raises a myriad of further questions. But it just makes so much sense: with how rampant nicotine is in schools these days, it’s no wonder stress levels are so ridiculously high. After all, nicotine is a stimulant, which probably exacerbates other stressors.

At the end of the day, we all have stress from one thing or another, but as the poll below indicates, school seems to be a major cause of teen stress, and it seems as if it’s only going to keep getting worse.