Arts & Life

How To Relax During The School Year

Ashley Strain, Managing Editor • September 28, 2023

The Catalyst / Mia Muzzi

Spending time with dogs can help reduce stress and serves as a distraction from busy schedules.

Although the school year can get really busy, it is important to find ways to relieve the stress and calm your mind and body. For all grade levels, life always gets hectic. With many assignments, upcoming tests, college applications, extracurriculars, sports, jobs and more, getting stressed as a student is completely normal and inevitable. However, in order for your load to stay doable, it is crucial that time is taken everyday to prioritize the body and mind.

Taking the time to learn techniques on how to take care of yourself makes doing it so much easier. Beginning with prioritizing self-care is always a simple first step. Knowing how to listen to the body and what it needs makes it easier to care for it. Maintaining one’s mental and emotional health requires self-care. Setting aside time to take a long shower or bath, hang out with your dog, do skincare, put away all electronics and having a snack or meal is a great way to rewind and put yourself first.

Staying on track by creating a schedule can be a game-changer when it comes to stress. Living day-to-day without a plan makes life more stressful for most. Using the NDB school planner or one of your choice, whether it be online or hardcopy, can allow you to stay on top of your work and keep up to date with events coming up. Allocate time for breaks and relaxation while giving your tasks and commitments a priority in your calendar.

When getting overwhelmed, it is important to not forget about priorities. Oftentimes, students will lose sight of what is significant. Sleep should always be a number one priority for all. When times get stressful, many replace sleep with homework or schoolwork, whereas sleep is the most essential out of them all. Prioritizing sleep is easier when your schedule is up to date and when screen time is limited.

The NDB Counseling Department is one that is extremely strong and helpful. The door to the Counseling Center is always open and available. Oftentimes having someone to talk to and someone who will listen is the best way to relieve stress. NDB’s state-of-the-art counselors will offer you the correct tools and strategies to manage any stress or pressure students may be feeling.

“We’re all human. Everybody experiences stress. On our end as counselors, we try to be open with students to kind of recognize that it’s something that we all experience and could all use help with,” School Counselor Christina Christenson shared. “I hope to give off a welcoming attitude towards it so that they know there isn’t ever any judgment.”

For your general health and academic achievement during the school year, finding methods to relax and unwind is crucial. In order to better manage the demands of the school year and live a more balanced life can be done by prioritizing self-care, being organized, asking for help when needed and adding relaxing methods into your daily routine. Investing in yourself is investing in your future success. Make sure to remind yourself of your goals when school and life get overwhelming.

About the Contributors

Ashley Strain, Managing Editor

Ashley Strain is a senior at NDB. She has been a member of the Journalism Club since her freshman year and contributed as a Staff Writer for The Catalyst in those years. Last year, Ashley was enrolled in Journalism I and held the position of Sports Editor. She is now in Journalism II and is Managing Editor of The Catalyst and Director of Tiger TV, with hopes to continue her Journalism career in college and beyond. Ashley is a Link Crew Board member, as well as Ambassador Club member. She is the Captain of the NDB Varsity Competition Cheer team, which takes up a lot of her time outside of school. She also enjoys baking, writing, spending time with family and friends and going to the beach.

Mia Muzzi, Editor in Chief

Mia Muzzi graduated NDB after four years working for The Catalyst. She spent her freshman year as a Staff Writer, then during her sophomore year worked as the Arts & Life Editor and became the Managing Editor her junior year. She spent her last year as the Editor in Chief of The Catalyst. Muzzi plans to pursue a career in the field of journalism and is looking forward to expanding her knowledge in multimedia news outlets at a collegiate level, wherever she attends university. Outside of Journalism, her hobbies include reading, playing the guitar and drinking a lot of coffee. She also enjoys spending time with her friends and family, and especially loves trips to the beach.