Although winter has a reputation for being a joyous time of the year, many people experience something known as “holiday stress”.
For Hinsdale South students, anxiety can heighten during the holiday season due to final exams as it can become difficult to balance studies with extracurriculars and sports. When asked to rate their stress level on a scale of one to 10, over 60% of students reported their stress levels as being above a 5. As for the causes, the most commonly cited reason was final exams, with 67% of students saying that finals are the greatest cause of their anxiety.
“I feel stressed during the holidays because of school. Finals can be very stressful especially since it’s my first time taking them,” Freshman Emma Koehler commented. “I also think teachers are at the point in the year where they give out lots of homework.”
English Teacher Kristen Wimsatt confirmed this phenomenon. “I definitely notice an increase. I think it’s largely because a lot of major projects are wrapping up at the end of the semester. [The students] have to come to terms with what they have and have not done during the semester, so there are definitely feelings of guilt and regret for some.”
Students aren’t the only ones in the classroom impacted by this. “ We want every [student] to be doing as well as possible but that’s not always the case. We get hit with lots of last-minute requests or students begging for their assignments to be accepted,” Wimsatt stated.
Winter seems to be a more stressful time for everyone at school. However, there are simple ways students and teachers alike can reduce their stress: taking a walk, reading a book, or watching a fun movie are forms of self-care that are instrumental for mental health. Holiday preparations can become overwhelming very quickly, and putting mental health first can minimize worries and maximize productivity as the break draws near.
