Students Break for a Mental Health Day

If you feel like you are under some stress lately, you might enjoy the mental health day scheduled for this Friday, April 29.

 The activities were planned by the student council in order to help improve students’ mental health states before the AP and Keystone exams begin.

Counselor Mathew Shervington understands mental health and how to help. 

“I think it’s fair to say all students will be stressed in May,” Shervington said. ¨This will be the first ‘normal’ May that all students have had in 3 years. Going to school 5 days a week and taking Keystone and AP Exams just about every day [is extremely stressful] ….Anything that can be done to take off a little bit of that stress beforehand I think will be helpful.”

Some think that many students might take this for granted and not come in or just not get the most out of it.

Head of student council Kellin McCoullough would have liked something like these activities in her high school days. 

“Absolutely, mental health wasn’t really talked about when I was in high school, so it’s great that we understand something that’s important, and we are helping [students] manage their stress and time before we go into this busy month,” McCullough said. 

Shervington sees how school might stress out a student.

“For anyone- whether an adult, an adolescent or a kid- the things you are most invested in terms of your time and care can also provide you stress if you want to do those things well and it requires some additional effort,” Shervington said. “For teenagers, school is definitely included in that because of the connection between school and life after high school. That said, while school is incredibly important, as I told several students last week, high school will not determine every facet of your life after you graduate, so it’s important to balance working hard in school and taking care of yourself.”

 These exams could be a big factor of what affects high school students’ mental health the most, so it is good to have a little break for fun activities before then.

“There will be a huge variety, including Coloring (Mental Health Themed Adolescent Coloring Books), Painting, Mental Health Kahoot, A Mental Health Conversation Room, Zumba, Gaga & Spike Ball, Mani/Pedi Self-Care, Weight Lifting, Puzzles, Reading, Board Games, Meditation, K-Pets, Video Games, Card Games, Making Stress Balls or Glitter Bottles, Sidewalk Chalk/Art, and Watching Turning Red,” McCullough said.

Dylan Elliott, who is a member of the student council is also planning an event for the mental health day.  “I’m doing a face mask room, but I also know there will be stress ball making, dogs…there will be a movie. Teachers will tell about their mental health, and at the end of the day, there will be a hypnotist.”