The excitement that comes with the start of the school year can lead to students signing up for too many clubs and extracurricular activities, and before they know it, they have way too much work to do for those extracurriculars in addition to their school work. Depression Awareness club leader Becky Brent recommends prioritizing the activities that truly bring you joy, eliminating those that bring negativity and stress.

“Sit down and look at everything that you have going on, and then prioritize those things,” Brent said. “[If] the things that you’re doing that aren’t really bringing you joy, maybe that’s something to take off the plate completely.”

It can be challenging to keep track of all your responsibilities, so Brent suggests using a planner to help you stay on track and stop procrastination.

“The more we procrastinate, the more stress builds, and the more overwhelmed we become,” Brent said. “Having some kind of planner or online calendar [is helpful] to keep track of it all.”

There can be many stress-inducing factors in daily life. Brent emphasizes the importance of building a self-care routine to help you recenter and refocus while caring for yourself. There’s no correct way to practice self-care, but common methods include developing a regular sleep schedule, reflecting on gratitude, spending time outside, exercise, and meditation.

“There are specific things we do to take care of our body on a pretty regular basis,” Brent said. “When you know stressful times are going to be ahead, upping that self care plan, like adding a couple more components to it or just really making sure you’re honoring it is important as well. Taking good care of yourself in all the little ways that you do is really important to stay healthy.”

It’s important to remember that you don’t have to be alone through times of stress as CHS has many resources to help you through challenging times. CHS counselors, Brain Williams and Kelly Maveal, as well as social worker, Traci Blanke, are available to help. There are also many resources in our community that are available to help. Establishments such as the Neutral Zone or Ozone House are great places to gain support. If your need goes beyond the reaches of school figures or community organizations, it could be beneficial to seek out medical professionals for help.

At the end of the day it’s important to not feel as if you’re alone in your struggles. Due to the stigma around mental health many people feel like they can’t comfortably talk about and ask for help with their mental health.

“I think anytime we can talk about it and support each other through it, we’re doing the help and the work of breaking stigma,” Brent said. “Anytime we’re engaging in a conversation or helping our friends, we’re really working to reduce the stigma because it’s very real.”