Ana+B’s+OpEd+Article

//**Supposed Stress of the AP students. **//

We get it. Teachers get it. Your parents I’m sure get it. I get it. You’re “stressed”. I’ve heard countless teachers say that this junior class is one of the most particularly stressed out grades that they have seen. Examining the reasons behind this there is only one possible reason. It is not because Mr.Geib decided to add more to the workload. Chapter packets did not get any longer. Mrs. Kindred does not assign in class essays daily. Lab practicals and math tests have not increased in difficulty but rather is it the students that feel entitled to feeling stressed. We have received warning from the previous junior class that Amex is difficult and have seen the facebook status’s about how stressed they are. So entering this year several students felt that it was their right of passage to also join in. I don’t want to discredit anyone’s workload because I quite frankly do not know what every student in AP does outside of school. I acknowledge some play sports, some do extracurriculars, some have jobs but I do know many that besides school they have nothing else.

It’s become the faux pas to complain about how stressed we are and how much homework we have when in reality in unwarranted. “Stress” is only placed upon the student who does not have efficient time management. Maybe spending less time on facebook or texting your friends about all you have to do will allow you to accomplish your tasks. The times I have felt stressed this year is due only to my own credit. I slacked off, I decided to go out, I decided to go on the internet which then created an overwhelming feeling of having so much work due the next day. It has had nothing to do with the classes I am in. The mind grows and develops and so do our abilities to finish more challenging work. Every student in AP’s should be willing to work hard and accepting of the challenge.

Junior year should be preparing us for the transition to early adulthood where we take personal responsibility for our actions. Let’s stop blaming teachers, course rigor, or even just Foothill for feeling stressed and not accomplishing our tasks on time. I know other students have done it in the past, and venting does alleviate pressure, but you are only doing yourself a disservice by spending so much time complaining and not doing. Your “stress” adds to someone else's stress and allows the cycle to continue. If we want to be taken seriously as students and young adults take on responsibility for the workload. It’s only going to get worse from this point when we enter a world or more rigorous academia and where stress actually exists.