Are high school seniors dealing with more anxiety and stress than other grade levels? Why?
By Naomi Sekine
October 12, 2023
Image from College Data showing the results of a study on stressors of seniors in high school.
Anxiety. A feeling of worry or unease that can set you on edge. It’s like having butterflies in your stomach– butterflies made of glass. It can make it hard to relax or concentrate. Sometimes it feels like your mind is racing and you can’t stop thinking about things that might go wrong. Many students feel anxious due to the pressure of schoolwork, exams, and the fear of not meeting expectations. To cope with anxiety, students need to prioritize self-care, seek support from friends, family, or professionals, and remember that they are not alone in their struggles.
There is one collective of students whose anxiety levels appear to be through the roof: high school seniors. The pressure to make important decisions about their future and the fear of not getting into their desired colleges can be overwhelming. Seeking support from friends, family, and guidance counselors can help alleviate some of the anxiety.
Senior Bella Roberts says “I’m not [coping well]. Obviously, I’m on medication which a lot of the population is on and I try to get all the support I can.” Medication can be a really helpful tool to manage anxiety. It can help reduce symptoms and make it easier to cope with daily life. The stress of school, life, and college can make it feel impossible to find a balance in life.
College counselor Ingrid Loveras confirmed that she notices these stressors every year. Ingrid said, “I notice seniors try not to vocalize the stress and pressure they are under but their actions show it.” Many students get overwhelmed by the amount of stress they are facing. They turn to plagiarism or rushed work as an easy way out. These actions focus on the feeling of urgency to submit applications. The pressure to meet deadlines and secure a spot in their dream college can be overwhelming.
Bella feels this viscerally. She explained that the main thing consuming her mind was college applications. “The competition I feel I have is related to college, the competition between my peers.” The questions she asked herself were, is it me or them being accepted into that specific school?
By taking more time to focus on college assignments, the academic grades start to slip. After the college decisions arrive at the beginning of the senior year, students are excited for the next phase of their life. By the end, students are burnt out and ready to move forward in their lives. In Bellas’s case, she has been setting aside more time for college applications rather than school academics, “When I go to open my laptop, 90% of the time I am opening college-related documents rather than school-related documents.”
High school seniors have a lot on their plate when it comes to balancing academics with college work. It can be challenging to juggle demanding coursework while also preparing for college applications, researching potential colleges, and writing essays. All though there is excitement moving into the next step of their life, there is continuous stress and anxiety about what that future holds.