Stress is something we have all dealt with. There are two types of stress: good stress and bad stress. However, you are probably more familiar with bad stress. It is always good to have an equal balance of everything. This also includes stress. If you were to live a dull, stress-free life, you may become bored. If you suffer from too much stress, you may become overwhelmed and lose a lot of energy. Therefore, everything in moderation is perfect.

A benefit of stress is that it motivates you to do your best. It also keeps you focused and alert. When you are alert, you can react to emergency situations quickly. An example would be completing a big assignment the day before it is due.

The bad thing about stress is it can damage your body because you lose sleep, which leads to memory loss. You can also get headaches and mood swings and develop allergies. When bad stress happens, you need to find ways to reduce the amount of stress you are dealing with.

I remember dealing with a lot of stress my sophomore year. Meeting deadlines for all my classes was very difficult because I was given too many assignments at once. This caused me to procrastinate often because the thought of an overload of work scared me. Furthermore, I slept very late to get my homework completed. When I woke up, I was lethargic and had a hard time concentrating in school. I am not the only one dealing with stress everyday.

Ismael Membrere (11) said “€œschool, family, and relationship problems” gives him stress. He said he manages these problems by talking to someone he trusts. When he is stressed he “can’€™t enjoy anything.”€

These stressful situations leave him feeling irritated and distracted so he tries to forget about them by listening to music, going to sleep, playing video games, going on the computer or working out.

Another McKinley student dealing with stress is Meriam Salameh (12).

“I get really lost, I start forgetting things, and I get frustrated,”€ Salameh said.

The cause of her stress is having too much to think about. To cope with her problems, she relaxes and tries to have a positive attitude about everything.

Also Salameh said, “€œI try to organize my planner to focus and see what I need to do.”

€ The most stressful situations she has dealt with were having a lot of projects, attending club events and going to work.

Mary Mae Garay (11) said that school and “surprisingly, friends”€ give her stress so she manages it by taking her “€œanger out on tennis,”€ blasting her speakers to rock music and ranting on paper.

It is hard dealing with stress because Garay said, “It affects my sleep.”€ Then, she wakes up feeling cranky.