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A season of snowflakes, gift giving, and holiday stress Students often experience excessive stress during the holiday season. Hannah Whobrey staff writer
Although traditionally regarded as one of the best times of the year, people increasingly find the holiday season exceedingly intense. Changing seasons, frenzied gift shopping, family tension, and even the risk of sickness contribute towards an incredibly stressful period. With the added load of schoolwork, winter can be an emotionally demanding time for students. According to an Islander poll, nine in ten students felt that schoolwork contributed most to their stress during the holidays, followed by money, sickness, and loneliness. “Because we have such a long break, my teachers tend to assign lots of homework,” said Anna Zurawski. Even without official assignments, students can find
it hard to take the time off that they desperately need. “I would always be studying for finals during winter break,” Tristan Moore said. For some, the holiday season brings family trouble. “I am in a sticky situation where I have to pick which part of my family I want to celebrate with,” one student commented. “I cannot change my family’s relationships or arrangements, but I would want them to be more understanding and sympathetic to my position.” “My family often travels during this season, resulting in school absences. I often have a hard time catching up afterwards, and often feel slightly disoriented upon returning,” another student noted. “I know it is a privilege to travel so much, but I often yearn to just sleep in and spend the holidays in the living room with my family.” Nevertheless, when
Protesting (cont.) “I would be most inclined to organize a protest if it was something that we could directly affect within our school,” Spencer said. “It’s what gives you power at the negotiating table.” In this case, protests concerning issues directly related to the school are more useful. “If one student went to the admin, they wouldn’t necessarily have to listen,” Spencer said. “There’s 1,500 students at this high school! They’ve got bigger fish to fry. But if me and a thousand of my peers went, then they would have to acknowledge us and acknowledge the power that we have.” Recent high school protests across America include using football games to show solidarity with NFL footballers who knelt for the national anthem. Other students have refused to participate in the “Pledge of Allegiance.” More locally, students at Garfield High School in Seattle staged a walk-
out in November of 2016 to demonstrate their anger towards President Trump’s anti-immigration policies. Similar protests occurred throughout the nation this year in response to DACA’s cancellation. “[At school-related protests,] the student body is most of the community, and so we could really make a change,” Spencer concluded. Students should remember that although they have the power to organize school protests, they cannot be overly disruptive (such as interrupting class), endanger other students, or violate any laws (school or otherwise). Nevertheless, fighting for beliefs is valuable. Students interested in taking action at MIHS are encouraged to contact ACLU Club, Social Justice Club, Stay Woke Club, Gender Equality Club, Diversity Action Club, Amnesty International, and the Black Student Union.
Photo courtesy Q13 Fox Garfield High School’s footbal team takes a knee during the national anthem.
asked about holiday stress, many MIHS students shared coping methods that they have depended upon in the past. “I let myself take care of my needs,” Lina Winiski responded. “I try meditating and drinking tea,” sophomore Addi Arvish said. “Talking with a friend,” another added. While stress can definitely feel overwhelming, selfcare remains paramount for management. Learning to allow imperfections and being realistic about the season relieves the pressure to live up to rose-tinted family traditions and expectations set through pop culture’s idyllic portrayal. In a similar vein, setting manageable limits and avoiding over-scheduling creates more opportunities to relax. “I get more busy during the holidays, so it makes [everything] less manage-
able,” noted another student. “I used to be terrible at coping with my stress! Recently, I’ve found sitting down and writing out everything I need to do helps a lot,” Lauren Ball suggested. Planning ahead prevents last minute scrambling to fulfill obligations, and can avert committing to an overwhelming amount of activities, by specially delegating time to necessary activities. It can also help maintain usual habits, such as eating healthily, sleeping regularly, and working out or staying active. Sticking to a routine is beneficial as it provides structure, and nourishes the body. “Running, eating, [and] taking breaks,” one sophomore noted as helping her cope. To release the pressure on family members to prepare and host excessive
meals, eating out is always an option. “Eating food and talking to people helps disperse the stress,” junior Bridget Navarro said. Even if the main event is still hosted at home, dining out on occasion removes the burden on the host’s time and resources. At tenser family gatherings, eating out provides a way to eat together with a reduced chance of argument, because of the public setting. Other family issues can usually be solved by tweaking tradition a little, to make everyone more comfortable. For example, if lots of gifts stretches budgets and ideas too far, new practices, such as family gift exchanges, provide an alternative. It is also important to remember that gifts cannot solve everything. “[My family] always feels the need to make a big deal of the holidays, rather than just enjoying time together,” Jane Voss said. Traditions that don’t
work any more do not have to be continued. Talking these issues out before the holidays may lead to much-needed modification for everyone involved. Quick fixes for stress provide relief on short notice. For example, listening to music has a calming effect, and benefits the heart and general blood flow. Eating hot or spicy food triggers endorphins, which improve happiness levels. Honey can provide energy, if feeling rundown is an issue. Above all, students should make sure that they properly take time off. Set aside time for absolutely no obligations, to fully relax and reap the benefits of the vacations throughout the holiday season. If you feel unable to cope with stress induced by this season, please try one of the aforementioned solutions; talk to your parents, a trusted family member, friend, or teacher; or reach out to your MIHS counselor.
The continuous college application season Annika Bhananker and Izzi Mancuso staff writers
Sleepless nights and endless cups of coffee mark the dreaded college application season. For many juniors and seniors, the nerve-wracking process of completing standardized tests and online applications is viewed as the beginning of their lives and takes absolute precedence over everything. For many, the college application process begins in freshman year with college tours, fairs, and counselors, each touted as providing insight into the college experience to come. These resources are not only available for individuals but are also provided by MIHS. This year’s college fair introduced the junior class to a wide range of different colleges and their representatives, in the hopes of simplifying the application proccess and reducing the immense stress associated with applying to college. Early preparation plays a crucial role in reducing college anxiety because it allows students to plan both the courses needed to take for college and the activities and interests you might pursue and in which you might excel. “I don’t think there’s ever a too soon,” said
Jeff Jones, a counselor at MIHS. Early planning is a tool many seniors utilize in order to prevent drowning in procrastination and paperwork and to maximize their potential college choices. Of the MIHS Class of 2018, 71.8 percent had submitted college applications as of Nov. 8, highlighting the importance MIHS high schoolers place on securing their college of choice and their hope for their future education. College Board studies indicate that 47 percent of college-bound high school seniors graduate with at least an A- average. This number, up 38 percent within the last ten years, proves that good grades cannot be the only significant factor colleges consider. Extracurricular activities play an important role when applying for colleges. Whether that is sports or clubs, a job or volunteering, students explore these options starting in freshman year and may choose to stick with them throughout the rest of high school. “Sometimes students make the mistake of trying to be in so many different clubs that they’re not really connected to any of them,” Jones said. “But what a college is really looking for is for students to get involved
in fewer extracurriculars and then sticking with them. That way they’re developing some type of leadership role or making an impact in their community or in their school based upon the works that they’re doing.” Essentially, less is more in terms of extracurricular activities; colleges prefer a student with a substantial area of expertise, rather than a student who is stretched thin. Another integral variable in the college application process is letters of recommendation. “Letters of recommendation give colleges or other programs an opportunity to get information from adults that have worked with students regularly and can talk [about] their leadership traits, their ability to cooperate with others in the class, their work habits” Jones said, “Those [other] things that go above and beyond just seeing their grade on a transcript.” Letters of recommendation, depending on the school, can come from various people, not only from teachers but also from employers or places that students have done community service. They also commonly come from coaches. Parents of college applicants tend to vary in their involvement with
their student’s college application process, ranging from managing student deadlines and timelines, to paying for college advisors and tutors for essays, to simply allowing students to take care of their own business. Many parents provide extra resources for their student to maximize their success. Regardless of familial support, student preparation is the most important aspect of an outstanding application. Sophomore Nicole Hibi said she believes many MIHS students are adequately prepared for the college application process. “I think there are some classmates who are very determined to get into college, and they’re already starting to think about where they’re going, and they’re already touring,” Hibi said. The college application process is intrinsically stressful because it is important, and preparing early is an essential step to easing that stress and creating a solid resume and application. It is also important to remember that, with early preparation, the process can be fun and positive--an excellent way to know yourself, find the right college for you, and make a lasting impression in a fantastic application.