By Aidan Burke and Alexa Nichols
The stress levels at WHS are at an all time high. Juggling college- level classes, extracurricular activities, and friends all in hopes to get into a well respected college can be challenging. But at what cost?
Recently the students of WHS have been tested on mental health after the nation’s overwhelming issue of suicide and depressive symptoms has risen. The results are astonishing with over 67% of student in grades 9-12 considering themselves as “worried or very stressed about school issues.” Even more concerning is the fact that the majority of the 67% are juniors and seniors.
In 2014, the Metro West Adolescent Health Program survey depicted 11th grade students at Westborough being the most stressed out of all four grades(74.1%), and the senior class coming in close second (68.8%). These stress levels could be due to the focus on college that 11th and 12th graders have. As a junior it is “crunch time”, and applying to schools is right around the corner. Most colleges, look at one’s final grades as a freshman, sophomore, junior, and some of senior year. A student’s growth over their high school career is an important aspect that college admissions take into deep consideration. Therefore, it is important to receive the best grades possible throughout junior year because it is one of the final pushes to show potential universities what you could offer. According to the recent Metro West Survey, this pressure to get the best grades possible and get into a “good” school is the cause of such high rates of stress throughout the Westborough High School student population.
Many students take high level courses such as honors and AP classes. Most juniors with college around the corner, want to take as many advanced classes as possible. These classes require hours of dedication each day to furthering the knowledge of the class outside of school. Some students have to balance sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities on top of their homework and studying. This results in little to no time for oneself, and has a negative impact on mental health. The question many students need to ask themselves is, “When have I taken on too much?” With society becoming increasingly competitive, many students have a convoluted view on what their priorities are.
No wonder suicide rates are at an all time high. With 53% percent of the junior class surveying that “they are concerned a peer would harm themselves” and 11% of the school stating that “they have seriously considered suicide within the last 12 months” it is evident that actions need to be taken to ensure the safety and well being of the WHS student body.
Next time you are feeling overwhelmed with school work, extracurriculars, college applications, or just life in general, take a step back and consider your own well being. At the end of the day, no test, game, or essay is as important as your mental and physical health. Society has become more focused on categorizing adolescents based on their grades and standardized test scores, when in reality one’s GPA does not determine how successful one will be.
