By: Alexis LeMieux

Stress can be good, if you have the right mindset, of course.

There are two different types of stress. There is distress, and there is eustress. Distress is the stress that will negatively affect you, and eustress is the stress that positively affects you. It is a common misconception that all stress is bad, because it always isn’t that way.

“If students are not taught HOW to manage stress, it will definitely affect their attitudes, work, learning, and productivity,” Bellbrook Spanish teacher Mrs. Potter said.

“When I’m stressed, I try not to think about it too much,” sophomore Anis Lafdi said.

If a student knows skills in managing stress, then it has a possibility of being an opportunity for that student. When students, and even teachers, find ways to manage that stress, it will help them develop resilience.

Math teacher Mr. Moyer is a former Bengals offensive lineman and has learned various ways to handle stress.

“First, I make sure that I am anchored to something that is permanent, and not something that is based on my performance,” Mr. Moyer said. “A great way to relieve that stress during a test is to breathe in, and breathe out, and it’s amazing how if you do that five times, it will alleviate some of that stress.”

“And there’s other things. Some kind of physical exercise often relieves stress,” Mr. Moyer said. “For the long term stress, having a balanced diet, making sure you are eating healthy, and you have to make sure you are getting good sleep.”

“You also need to know that you are centered,” Mr. Moyer said. “Ensuring that you know who you are, and that you know where your value comes from. That’s how I deal with stress, but that’s also how I encourage others to do the same.”

Stress can be relieved in multiple different ways, you just have to find what suits you.

Stress can motivate. “Stress keeps students moving towards a goal or ability to meet their deadlines.” Mrs. Potter said. “However, students must learn to manage their stress in order to be successful.”

When someone wants to get a good grade on a test and has feelings of eustress, they are more likely to get a better grade, rather than the person who is feeling distressed about the upcoming test.

“I think stress affects me positively, because it makes me want to pay more attention and raise my grades,” senior Nelly Millan said. “It encourages me to achieve better.”

However, in some cases, that same stress can actually negatively affect you. Some school assignments can have a negative effect, like tests, and of course the grades.

“I would say in school the grades,” Millan said. “They can be negative sometimes.”

“I think stress negatively affects me during class,” Lafdi said. “For me, the distress I’ve experienced is testing, because whenever there is a big test coming up, I always think about all the bad things that could happen.”

Bellbrook Sugarcreek Schools recently received a five star rating, and both teachers and students may experience stress as a result of the drive for high performance.

“With great performance comes great expectations,” Mr. Moyer said. “And the five star rating is a testament to the students, teachers, the parents, and the whole community. It takes all to work well.”

“Schools need to find methods to incorporate methods for helping our students deal with stress, in a manner that sets them up for success, and prepares them for the real world,” Mrs. Potter said.