Finals are approaching fast and so is the stress that finals bring. Because students have a lot of pressure at the end of the year to perform their best, anxiety and stress are more common than what one might think, especially among teenagers.

Pam Cinadr, school nurse, says, “When I started here 21 years ago, this was a common thing. Now I see something everyday.” Students are needing to find ways to deal with their anxiety and stress.

According to dictionary.com, anxiety is defined as “A feeling of worry or nervousness about something uncertain.” Some symptoms of anxiety are feeling worried or out of control. Dreading something bad that is going to happen and panic that seems to come from nowhere are all symptoms of having an anxiety attack.

Anxiety attacks can be triggered when one is worrying a lot, such as worrying about an upcoming test a student might have. There are many ways to learn how to deal with an anxiety attack.

Cinadr said, “Have someone give you 5 numbers out of sequence, then wait ten seconds, and try to repeat those numbers back to them.” When doing this, it tricks your brain into thinking about something else rather than the stressful situation.

Another way you can handle an anxiety attack is by looking around the room and finding five things you can remember. Then find four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and, finally, one thing you can taste. These techniques can calm down someone who is having intense emotions and feelings.

At Pleasant Valley High School, there are people in the building who can talk to you. Some options include going to the health office or going to see a counselor. It is important to get help and avoid trying to deal with these feelings alone.