As the second semester of the 2024–25 school year comes to a close, conversations with classmates reveal a common theme: stress. Students are feeling overwhelmed — as learners, friends, family members, and citizens — and are struggling to maintain balance in their busy lives.
“You get a smidge of the stress during midterms, but now there are finals, and it’s your last chance to get your grades up, so if you don’t have a 4.0, it’s stressful,” Penelope Cheng ’28 said.
Many students are finding it hard to make time for themselves. But mental health matters, and it’s important to prioritize well-being. You can’t pour from an empty cup — so how do we refill it?
To find answers, I spoke with classmates, peers, and members of the Harvard-Westlake professional support team. The school has systems in place to help students manage stress, from counselors to deans to trusted teachers.
“I’m a lot more stressed due to upcoming finals and the ninth-grade school year beginning soon, because my grades will go into college,” Ryan Yang ’29 said. In fact, many eighth graders shared similar sentiments about the end of the year being more difficult. Patrick Kim ‘29 says, “I wasn’t as stressed first semester.”
Kelly Decker, HW psychologist and part of the student support team, provided practical advice. She emphasized that small, daily habits can help maintain mental health and that students should take short breaks throughout the day to reset.
“Even closing our eyes for three minutes can signal your brain to lower stress hormones in the body,” Decker said. “When you become intentional about what you need, you gain more control over your situation — and that can make you feel less stressed.”
These micro-breaks can increase self-awareness and reduce anxiety by helping students tune into what they need.
Stress is your body’s way of alerting you to what’s important. Paying attention to those signals can help you understand how to thrive.
For those who need support or resources, reach out to any of the wellness team members or trusted faculty:
- Rebecca Neubauer: [email protected]
- Kelly Decker: [email protected]
- Jullian Lee: [email protected]
