On the second week of Christmas my teachers gave to me: five all-nighters, four hours of crying, three mental breakdowns, two thoughts of dropout, and a month of anxiety.
A picture with this quote has gone viral to students of all kinds, not only because of its humorous twist on a Christmas carol but because many students can actually relate.
As the first semester comes to an end, so do the attention spans of many students. The constant stress of getting homework done, finishing projects, and trying to maintain a passing grade, all packed with a neat little bow on top, can overwhelm students.
According to the American Psychological Association, 38 percent of stress is increased during the holidays. Of that, 56 percent is caused by school or work, 29 percent from home, and 9 percent from a combination of both.
Within the 9 percent lies senior Tony Marquez, who feels crammed with presentations, essays, and finals, but is most often stressed working behind the counter. Marquez, who works at the McDonald’s inside Wal-Mart, said work is especially busy during the holiday season when the store is crowded with Black Friday and last-minute Christmas shoppers. Adriana Garcia, however, is not one of those shoppers. The junior finds stress from the holiday season because she’s disappointed that, without a job, she can’t afford to buy her family and friends gifts.
“I should be able to get them stuff, but I can’t,” she said. “It’s a nice thing to do.”
Some students’ stress isn’t over even after the holidays have passed. Every year during winter break, sophomore Juan Raya visits his family in Mexico, but the trip usually extends after school has already started back up. Raya said he usually will miss about the first three days of the new semester, which has happened most years since he was in fifth grade.
“It’s stressful just thinking about the school work,” he said, but Raya gets back on track by asking for make-up work.
English teacher Alice Henderson believes that so many people find stress from the holiday season because of the high expectations of the celebration.
“Everyone is wanting to do so much and wanting to make it a perfect holiday,” she said.
Itzel Godinez, a junior, agrees that the celebration is the reason for stress.
“We have to get the house ready and the food ready (for guests),” she said. Preparing the house for the masses of relatives coming to visit always creates some anxiety.
Henderson also said that the season is an emotional time for both people who don’t have family and for those wanting to gather with relatives for the special occasion. In this way, she relates.
“I had six kids,” she said. “I wanted to make (the holiday) perfect for them.”
Now, Henderson does not feel as much pressure from the holiday since her children are grown up and simply finds joy in spending time with those she loves.
Whether December is overwhelming because of school or the holidays, ‘tis the season to be stressing.
Fa la la la la, la la la la.