Mental Care

January 15, 2022

Five days a week, forty weeks a year. The time we spend in school focused on cramming our minds with every possible bit of information can seem overwhelming. As students struggle to manage extracurriculars, homework, social life, and grades, it’s easy to feel yourself fall behind. But there’s one thing that should never end up on the back burner: mental health.

“The school environment can be exhausting. I’m always under this underlying pressure to be the best of the best,” sophomore Jasleen Kindra said.

As Liberty reaches the end of the first semester, Kindra’s experience is, unfortunately, not a rare one. After returning to school in-person after hybrid learning, many people have found themselves experiencing burnout, stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. To over 44% of Liberty students, school affects their mental health daily.

“When you consider that most students sit in a classroom for seven hours each day, and when you pile extracurriculars and homework on top,” senior Mark Stevenson said, “most high schoolers don’t have time to be themselves without sacrificing some academic performance.”

While dealing with mental health can feel like stumbling through a maze blindfolded, the first step is to recognize the value of your health and safety. Like putting on your own oxygen mask before helping others, prioritizing mental wellbeing is necessary to living a healthy life.

“Everyone has a good idea of what health is, but we often forget to prioritize it. Students get so caught up in every assignment and grade that they forget their happiness, health, and safety is the most important thing,” high school psychologist Laurie Engelbeck said. 

The best way to manage anxiety and stress is up to the individual and their circumstances. There is no life-changing ten-step process to achieving good mental health. For some, watching a funny show and listening to music helps. For others, journaling and spending time with friends are the best de-stressors. In the end, only you can know how to be mentally happy by recognizing what you need.

“When the body slows down, it’s telling you that it needs time to heal. Listen to your body. It’s okay to stay home and recharge. While it may mean more work in the short term, it’s better for your health in the long term,” Liberty counselor Robin Klym said.

When the body slows down, it’s telling you that it needs time to heal. Listen to your body. It’s okay to stay home and recharge.

— Robin Klym, Liberty counselor

Remembering that mental health should be prioritized might be an easy task, but taking steps to protect your well-being is another. If even finishing one assignment seems too exhausting, set boundaries and break the project into smaller, more manageable tasks.

“Don’t look at the big picture and become overwhelmed. Instead, take the school year week by week, day by day, and even hour by hour,” Engelbeck said.

As we reflect on the past year, it’s not the school assignment that will define the year, it’s the moments spent with your loved ones that do. School is important but will never be worth the sacrifice of your wellbeing.

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