Senior Stress is Real
How is the class of ’24 measuring up to the challenges of the last year of high school?
President of her refugee outreach club. National Honor Society Member. Golden Eagle Ambassador. International Baccalaureate program candidate. All these roles fall into the hands of senior Pritha Patel, who, like her classmates, feels the pressure of mounting responsibilities on top of life-altering decisions in this pivotal season in a high schooler’s academic career.
With these responsibilities comes the familiar sensation of being overwhelmed by the requirements and commitments of students in this year’s senior class. For Patel and her peers, the amount of effort and stress seems to go unnoticed by teachers and staff alike, with many seniors questioning if they’ve been properly equipped to handle the challenges that they face entering a new chapter in their lives.
This overwhelming sensation of stress is backed by experts, as the CDC reports that between 2009-2019, “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” increased by approximately 40 percent in high school students. This begs an important question: Are senior students given the proper resources to be successful as they transition out of high school and into college and the workforce?
Paxon IB coordinator Krystal Culpepper was more than prepared to answer. As one of the counselors on campus, Culpepper has access to the resources students need to be successful and is often busy responding to parent and student inquiries, as well as ensuring that students are aware and notified of graduation and college requirements. In an interview, Culpepper assured that the counseling staff has more than adequate resources that are readily available to seniors during this crucial season in their lives, encouraging rising seniors to look over various requirements before even entering senior year.
For the counselor, a major concern she identifies as a contributor to senior stress levels is student interaction with available resources.
“Procrastinating when it comes to completing what needs to be done, more so what other people need to do for the application,” Culpepper commented. “Students apply to a variety of schools, and so sometimes, especially if the deadlines are varying, that could be something that contributes to stress. It helps to be proactive with asking ahead of time.”
Culpepper also acknowledges the challenges of senior year and hopes to encourage her seniors to become more intentional about staying on top of requirements. “I don’t want to not validate concerns,” Culpepper affirms. “I’m always trying to embody that trait from the learner profile of being reflective and trying to see what can be done to make changes, make things better.”
As for the future, Culpepper is confident that this year’s senior class is more than capable of being successful, urging seniors to keep pushing through the challenges. “I feel like the class of 2024 has been more proactive when it comes to trying to apply early, [which] means that you’re looking at the things that you need to complete your application earlier, and that has contributed positively,” she added. “I think that we’re on a good start to continue on a positive trajectory.”
There remains hope for active students such as Patel and her peers, as she is confident that the stress and responsibilities will benefit her in the long run. Patel remains active in both her school and community, taking joy in the process and refusing to focus on the negative. “It’s a lot of work, managing all of these tasks and keeping up with schoolwork, but it’s also very rewarding to help [the refugees] and be a positive presence in my community.”