Seniors are only 5 months away from graduating and living out their independent lives. Some wish to go to a four-year university, travel, or go straight into work.

Throughout their high school careers, seniors have dealt with a lot of stress their last year of high school. College applications, planning life after high school, final grades, they all takes some type of toll.

Stress can lead to anxiety which affects how a student performs on state tests. These tests are often what help determine which schools they can go to.

Over the past several years, anxiety and stress has been the #1 reason seniors seek counseling. Anxiety disorders are becoming less known about and have not been gaining the acknowledgment needed to stop this epidemic. Especially for seniors.

Anxiety hits seniors hard because of all the deadlines and things due everyday. Running Start and IB Diploma and Certificate students face the most stress and anxiety.

There are a lot of ways to help students cope and maintain the anxiety that is inevitable.

The reasons students feel so much anxiety throughout their high school careers, focusing on the seniors, is a feeling they will fail a class or a test. Having students 100% prepared for tests will make them less-stressed and less worried.

Another reason seniors experience more stress is because they have tougher academics and more responsibility. Seniors are turning into adults this year and more responsibilities are coming. They are getting jobs and finishing off their last year of high school. Seniors are preparing themselves for the work, responsibilities, and different experiences they are about to encounter after they graduate.

There will always be stress in life, but maintaining it is the key to success.

Sources:
https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/choosing-starting-school/moving-up/high-school-stress