Whether you’re a student or a teacher, stress is a part of everyday life. Maybe you have three tests on the same day, a pile of essays to grade, or a big sports tournament coming up. It’s easy to let stress engulf your life, to let a constant sense of anxiety cloud your mind.   Over the course of the pandemic, many people  noticed their stress levels increasing and took measures to help manage it.  Keeping stress in check is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.  Here some members of the Morris Hills community share their strategies for managing stress in their lives.  

Tori Champagne, Senior

“ I manage stress by going on runs or walks and getting fresh air. For tips, I would suggest that people consider doing something active when you are stressed because it distracts you and allows you to focus on something else. It is also good for your body.”

Amber Kurland, Junior 

“Personally, I de-stress by hanging out with friends. Surrounding myself with positive people always lifts my spirits and manages to make me forget about whatever is stressing me out. In terms of preventing stress, I try to manage my time well and not procrastinate.”

Ms. Patterson, Teacher 

“When I find myself in a stressful situation, I try to only think about the very next thing I have to do. Often when we are stressed, our minds can automatically go into panic mode and start predicting the worst case scenarios. In order to slow my mind down, I think about the most important action that needs to be prioritized, and then I just do that one thing and actively block out the next things, steps, or actions that I have to take. This really seems to help me because then I can focus on what is in front of me and do the best I can with that task. More generally, I practice mindfulness and meditation in order to create a calmer mind. Mindfulness has helped me to cultivate a more peaceful life. I have found that when I operate in a more mindful way, I end up having an easier time with everything from work to relationships and just managing day-to-day life.” 

Caroline Cote, Senior 

“I personally manage my stress by writing down everything I need to do for school and outside of school in a planner/agenda. I also keep my Google Calendar updated with everything for the week at the start of the week. Keeping everything organized lowers my stress a lot because I can see everything that needs to get done in one place and I can work at it little by little. I also like to talk to someone, normally my mom, about what I have going on (like lacrosse practices or school projects and everything) because talking things through out loud makes me feel more calm about it. Also, staying physically active helps improve my stress levels. I normally feel more stressed and anxious if I haven’t been able to go for a walk or jog or workout that day. Also, I used to think this was silly but I now do the breathing exercise that the “mindfulness” app has when it pops up on my Apple watch and I think it helps. Overall, my main tips to the Morris Hills community would be to stay organized and be physically active!”

Mr. Hilla, Athletic Trainer 

“Whenever I feel stressed,  I try and do something that relaxes me, which may be working out, listening to music, or just “unplugging” from social media. When dealing with a stressful situation the most important thing to do is to take a few deep breaths and try to calm yourself down. During stressful times our emotions are running high. By controlling our breathing, we can relax our body, have a better outlook on the situation, and make the right choices and/or decisions.”