Students need to be prepared, one might say, to traverse the rigorous journey after high school when they begin their adulthoods in college. High schools prepares a student for their future, but with the addition of AP courses, multitudes of requirements, threats to graduation if certain things are left unfulfilled, and a dead passion for learning, can a student really survive high school? With all the work loaded onto us, here’s what we can conclude: 23% of teens skip meals every month due to stress, and 32% report feeling tired due to stress, according to the APA. The stress levels of a student in high school begins to rival that of an adult, and the effects lead to a worse treatment of their bodies — and they are only so young.

Students who are mentally healthy “are more likely to go to school ready to learn, actively engage in school activities, have supportive and caring connections with adults and young people, use appropriate problem-solving skills, have non aggressive behaviors, and add to positive school culture,” according to YOUTH. If that doesn’t seem like a desirable outcome, I don’t know what is.

But if that’s desired, and not being fought for by the very schools turning their students away, there is an understandable reason as to why students tend to misbehave in high school. Schools restrict and imprison students, not because of the teachers, but just because of the unchanging impenetrable way they run themselves. But even if the school system doesn’t change, the students will, and it’s clear that the change is falling towards the negative.

There’s a lot of things that schools can do to aid a student in their stress and mental health. That’s offering trustworthy and more open resources such as an on site therapist, and things such as block scheduling. The benefits of block scheduling, which is when you have a couple of longer classes one day, and the other group of classes the other (like we did during covid), is UNDENIABLE! Something people do not talk about enough is that the quality time between a teacher and a student is very important, not only so the student feels like they can talk to teachers and ask t for help, but to encourage more immersed learning too. Work levels and time expected to do homework is greatly decreased, and finally, a student can rest.

I can see why people would pay less mind to a student’s mental health in a school setting; however, the correlation with a student’s stress to their behavior is strong and undeniable. The future of a life is fragile, and the system can definitely do more to consider the health of a student,because, after all, it’s the very notion of a future that a school claims to teach.

So as a student who is thoroughly stressed almost all the time, I direct my speech to the school, to anyone who can change the way of the school, and to myself who can take the initiative to spread the word. We can create a space for ourselves that is safe, healthy, and encouraging!! Instead of falling victim to learned helplessness, we can thrive. We just need to be paid a little mind.