The Importance of “Me Time”

BY ARIEL MOORE [lead writer]

It is important to be able to take time away from the daily grind in order to relax and give your mind a break. The human mind and body cannot handle non stop work without a break. Each and every person has some kind of work they need to get done, which can and the anxiety they feel than there were back then: social media, more mainstream access to illegal substances, and more. Not to mention the uncertainty of a looming future that follows with ending a high school career.

“The idea of leaving for college definitely makes me anxious. Within the next few months, everything I’ve known for the last 17 years will be different, and that has caused me some anxiety recently,” senior Helena Maunes said.

With anxiety on the brain, teachers also take time to reflect on their own stress levels in high school.

“I think anxiety is definitely worse today than it was then. Social media, more pressures, more things outside of school going on that all play into anxiety for teenagers that we didn’t have when I was a student,” physics teacher Jerome Flewelling said.

There has been an increase in self-reported stress among parents of teenagers between the 1980s and 2000s, affecting single parents and parents on low incomes to a greater extent than other families.

“Anxiety is definitely worse now, because they are more open about it. When I was in school no one talked about it,” art teacher Diane St. Martin said.

Although anxiety may be reaching new levels, so are the ways to cope with it. Besides the fact that scientists lead to stress and anxiety which will ultimately leave you feeling exhausted and incapable of accomplishing your goals. Being able to take a step back and enjoy your free time is important if you want to continue to be able to strive for your goals and find balance in your life. are finding new ways to treat anxiety everyday, whether that is medication or therapy, there are little things one can do to calm themselves down in the moment when need be.

In this day and age, with the constant influx of information everywhere, constantly bombarding the minds of the youth, it can seem hard to escape and relax. There is a constant expectation of always being connected due to the rise in technology. However there are still ways to escape it. Shut off your phone, turn off your TV, and disconnect from the internet. Being able to enjoy life and relax, enjoying “me time,” is valuable. Taking a step back from the world can drastically change a person’s point of view on life for the better.

“When I feel anxious, I try to do things I enjoy to relieve the stressful feelings. By doing this, it distracts my mind from whatever I’m anxious about, and instead fills it with things I like. For example, I will re-watch one of my favorite movies, take a nap, or scroll through social media,” Maunes said.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, when dealing with anxiety, it’s important to take care of oneself, whether that’s maintaining a healthy diet or getting a good night’s sleep. It’s also important to identify what triggers one’s anxiety to know how to avoid those things better.

“When I feel anxious, I can cope

There is a number of ways to destress and have fun, be it reading a book, taking a nap, or going out for a walk. Anything that keeps the mind away from stressors and ailments is a great way to boost morale and encourage productivity later down the road. Recently, I sat outside on my friend’s porch, as we wrapped ourselves in blankets and just sat in silence. Staring out at the sky, just enjoying the peaceful tranquility of nature. It was one of the most relaxing experiences I have had in this past school year. The disconnection from my phone, school, and responsibility, in that moment truly made me understand the importance of “me time.” Everyone should experience that peace and disconnect from the world and the responsibilities that come with it.

Kids in recent years have by writing down everything that I have to do and then budget my time accordingly,” senior Tyler Hudak said. experienced greater amounts of stress compared to other generations. This expectation of always being able to work because that work is always at your fingertips can destroy kids’ youthfulness and minds. Take a few minutes to forget about that homework assignment, forget about the F in the grade book, forget about the woes of life and relax. For just that moment enjoy your youth and experience your teen years. These few years will simultaneously be the least and most amount of freedom we will ever have. Don’t let these moments pass you by while you sit in your bedroom at 3 a.m. working on your late assignments. One day the weight of being an adult will hit, and no longer will you be able to have carefree days.

A new and effective way of coping with anxiety is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is a method that focuses on changing the way you think and behave. It can be applied with a therapist or even done on your own.

Whether anxiety is worse now or not, it’s important to anyone suffering these symptoms to get help or talk to someone comfortable as soon as possible, and cope properly.

“It always helps me to talk to friends or family members about worries that I have. It helps to physically hear myself talk through issues and to hear the perspectives of people I trust,” Marcinek said.