Stress is any factor that causes physical or mental tension. Stress is universal, from young teens to older adults everyone faces stress. There are many factors that contribute to stress. However, each person has different factors that trigger stress. For adults who have jobs, work stress can be present, which is caused by being unhappy with the job, working long hours, heavy workload, problems with colleagues, etc. Students going to school or college can have stress that is caused by failing exams, not being able to focus, overthinking about the future, difficulties in staying organized, and having the pressure to be the best. 

Stress leads to many different problems, including death. Stress can spark many health issues such as headaches, insomnia, chest pain, and low energy. These are only scratching the surface of the health detriments of stress, as too much stress can cause death. Modern studies from Depression and Anxiety, show that 1 in 5 students from over 100 institutions have had suicidal thoughts. Suicide is the second biggest leading cause of death in young adults between the ages of 15 and 24. Statistics show that the rate of suicides has been on the rise since 2007. Studies also show that the most common cause of suicides is stress either from not being able to be good in a class or other peer pressures.

Various high school and college students as well as teachers, nurses, and counselors have provided their insight on what they think about stress. Amber Gehring, a former ADM student and a current Freshman at the University of Iowa, defines stress as “feeling overwhelmed.” Gehring states that she also suffers from stress many times due to the feeling of being “pressured to perform well.” Another college student, Hailey Bates says that “stress is something she deals with every day, and is just normal.” Both Gehring and Bates deal with stress in their everyday lives. Students are not the only people to chronically face stress, as job holders and adults are just as prone to stress as well. Melissa White, a volunteer leader from PeTA, defined stress as “the body’s reaction to any thought or event that makes someone feel angry, anxious, or nervous.”

Stress doesn’t completely go away, no matter how much one tries but there are many ways to cope with stress so that it doesn’t affect you immensely.  Pamela Harrison, a nurse at ADM High School, suggests that anyone dealing with stress should “try to talk to someone that you trust and are comfortable talking with.” Harrison also suggests that one should try to learn “how to help themselves.” She believes that knowing how to help oneself will benefit one “tremendously” when coping with stress. Gehring and Bates, both have very similar ways of coping with stress. Gehring and Bates have used meditation to calm down. They also try to do other things like watching TV or reading a book to distress. Some also suggest that exercising helps decrease stress. 

Stress is enough more prevalent, especially in times like the pandemic, when many people lost their jobs, some lost their houses, and others lost everything they had worked for.  Stress can be present. Jennifer Rebel, a High School Counselor, says that stress can be “positive, keeping us alert and motivated,” but it can also be “negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief.” This is exactly what stress is. It can help some people while it can break others. To relieve stress people should stay active and find activities they enjoy doing. These activities can include pampering yourself, painting, drawing, spending time with loved ones, reading, traveling, or just sitting outside and listening to music.