#stressmanagement #guidance #journalism #greensburgsalem

Starting the Second Semester  

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

By: Quinn Isenberg 

The start of the second semester brings a lot of change to the halls of GS.  

One of the most prominent changes is the students’ classes. With semester one classes ending, students will get a fresh start in their semester two classes. 

“I like the change,” senior Oakley Decker said. “I always liked the different classes from the first half to the second.”  

It’s common for students to grow tired of their classes after being in the same environment for so long. The second semester gives students a chance to trade out classes they may not find enjoyment in anymore for new ones.  

Blanca Grillo and Rocco Himes pose with their second semester schedules.

Photo By: Quinn Isenberg

“I’m happy because I didn’t really like my classes,” senior Samantha Hanawalt said. “So, I want to go into the second semester.”  

Despite the fresh start, students may find themselves losing their motivation for school throughout the second semester. Instead of letting this get the best of them, wise students find ways to keep themselves engaged.  

“To keep myself motivated I do stuff after school, like Speech and Debate and band,” freshman Luke Johnson said.  

Others find themselves motivated by the opportunity to do well in their new classes.  

“I’m more motivated for the second semester because I feel like it’s a second chance at getting the grades I want to get and didn’t during the first semester,” sophomore Daliza Sanchez said.  

New classes also give students the opportunity to do better than they did in the first semester. Students can walk into these classes with a clean slate and apply the knowledge they took from the last semester into the new one.  

“I learned new ways to study that work better for my particular learning style,” Sanchez said.  

The second semester also proves to be beneficial to teachers. It gives them a chance to try new methods with different groups of students to see what works best.  

“The really nice thing is that I can reflect upon experiences that I had in the fall because how the students reacted to different tactics is still fresh in my mind,” math teacher Mr. Al Toret said. “I can modify them if they didn’t work or reuse them if they did.”  

To some the second semester simply means they’re one semester closer to the end of the year. However, it is important to take things slow and make the most of the new semester by taking advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.  

“Savor your time here rather than wish it away,” Mr. Toret said.  

Stress Management

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

By Samarah Guy

Resources are available in the Guidance Office to help alleviate stressful situations and to promote healthy solutions to issues students may be having.

Stress happens when the mind goes through a state of worry or tension.

Things like big changes, too many responsibilities, lack of control, trying to reach expectations, hate or abuse can be some of the leading causes of stress.

“There’s going to be stressors, things that stress us out in life, but being able to deal with them in healthy ways is important,” Guidance Counselor Mr. John Manley said.

Deep breathing, counting back from a number or simply just finding something that can ease the mind are great ways of releasing stress.

“I try to remove myself from the stressful environment that I’m in,” Manley added.

When people are stressed, they tend to fidget around or become emotional as well. This is because stress can be too much emotion for one’s body to handle and needs to be released in some manner.

“When I’m stressed, I tend to get angry or frustrated,” sophomore Cora Gray said.

Trying to understand what is causing the stress is the first step to take. From there one can start talking about it and find ways to help ease the stress.

“I like to find three things to focus on because then I’m not thinking about what is stressing me,” Gray added.

Stress can also cause stiffness to parts of the body, so exercising or stretching when stressed can be an effective way to deal with it as well.

“Make sure that you have time to balance some sort of healthy distraction, so that you’re not constantly in a stressful situation,” health teacher Mr. Patrick Hutchinson said.

Stress happens to everyone, and preventing it isn’t necessarily possible. Staying organized, having a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, exercising and taking care of one’s mental and physical health are great ways to help minimize how much stress a person has.

Stress may also lead many teens to addiction because they don’t understand how to cope properly. To prevent stress-caused addiction, find the triggers and find a solution when triggered.

“Try to find yourself a distraction to help yourself, not drugs, not alcohol, not compulsively eating but something healthy like exercise, music or whatever it may be,” Mr. Hutchinson added.

Positive self-talk about stress management is a healthy form of coping with day-to-day stressors.