Souhegan guidance counselor notes some seniors ‘simply overwhelmed’

If you happen to spot any teenagers walking around Souhegan High School in a zombie-like trance complete with a blank, overcaffeinated expression, don’t be alarmed. They aren’t displaying symptoms of the much-feared senioritis, but of a much more detrimental condition: intense senior stress. Although some seniors will dismiss this condition as nonexistent, others will tell you that heavy workloads combined with busy schedules have them tearing their hair out. It appears the problem for these students is that there aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish all that they would like. Senior Jennifer Cui said she “wouldn’t mind a 27- or 28-hour day just to get all of my work done.” Guidance counselor Anne Burke corroborated this, adding that some  students are “simply overwhelmed by how much they have to get done, and cannot figure out how they could possibly do it all.” This stressor generally comes from the balancing act of difficult courses, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, time with family and friends, college applications and their own well-being. Burke says college applications can act as the straw that breaks the camel’s back – students often underestimate how time-consuming and intense they can be, especially on top of all of their other activities. Unfortunately, it seems that the students end up compromising their well-being and even their academic growth in favor of getting all of their work done. Teachers and students alike report that lack of sleep is the most common indicator of stress – some students stay up late into the night trying to finish homework, while others find it difficult to sleep at all because they have so much on their minds. Burke added that some students exhibit other physical symptoms of stress, such as stomachaches or headaches.