As we know, finals are quite literally right around the corner, and stress is at an all-time high, so I think it’s safe to say that a lot of us are feeling the pressure right now. This, I believe, makes the mental health surveys for October and November even more important, because it can help us get an even better sense of how Bard students are faring. Since we had some technical issues last month, the results are combined into one survey this time, and honestly, the responses say a lot of surprising things about what the students are going through. Becoming more aware of this not only highlights areas of struggle but also points to various ways to provide better support, foster collaboration, and perhaps even make things a little easier along the way. So, now let’s dive a little bit more into the details.
When asked “How often did you feel stressed or overwhelmed within these two months?” an overwhelming 45.7% of respondents said “almost every day.” Correspondingly, 80% of respondents said that their stress levels were higher in October and November compared to September (the beginning of the school year). The main reason of stress being schoolwork (91.4%) and personal issues, like mental health or self-esteem (57.1%).
Another important finding: only 19.4% of respondents expressed feeling some level of comfort discussing mental health with someone at school, a surprisingly low figure. Many respondents suggested changes, including more mental health days, better coordination among teachers when assigning big projects/assignments/exams, and more opportunities for check-ins with advisors or counselors. One student shared:
“I think what my peers and I (Y2’s) need is more free time in advisory. I understand we’re in the middle of the college process, but we barely have any time to de-stress and catch up with friends. Even ten to fifteen minutes would be nice.”
This feedback shows that we all (the seniors especially) need better support systems in place to help with our mental health.
Mini Advice Section:
To help ease some of the challenges regarding stress/time-management, I’ve decided to make a mini section where I will list out a few tips/tricks to help with those issues:
Pomodoro Technique: Break work into 25-minute focused intervals with 5-minute breaks in between. It helps prevent burnout and keeps tasks manageable (time intervals can be changed based on your preferences).
Feynman Technique: Teach what you’re learning to someone else or even to yourself out loud. Try to explain concepts in simple terms as it can solidify your understanding and fill in blanks of confusion.
Scheduling and Reminders: Writing down tasks and deadlines in a planner or digital app. Also try breaking large projects into tiny/small actionable steps which will hopefully make them seem less intimidating and easier to handle.
Also, for those who are preparing for any upcoming SAT/ACT, starting now will give you a lot of time to pace yourself, especially for juniors and seniors who are aiming to take the March SAT. Note: regularity in practice and a steady preparation schedule can help make the process way less overwhelming.
Let’s Stay Connected:
Lastly, I’m excited to share that I’ll be collaborating more with our school’s social worker (located in room 617C) to help out with activities and events aimed at reducing stress (or just mental health related activities) and fostering connection. So, if you have any ideas or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
That’s it for today’s recap. And remember, finals are just around the corner, so please take care of yourselves and each other!