Grades, entrance exams, STAAR, these are some of the current issues that most Akins students are facing.

A daily life of a junior in high school consists of AP classes, extracurricular activities, and worrying about their future.

“With all the homework they give us it stresses me out, they expect us to do so much in such a small time frame,” junior Jesus Cruz said.

Naturally, students feel stressed, but this can lead to serious anxiety issues. Anxiety is a mixture of fear, worry, and uneasiness.

“When I have anxiety I can’t breathe, I get headaches, and get asthma attacks,” junior Mey Giron said.

Every student has different stress levels. Every two out of 5 students interviewed said to have a level 7 or higher stress level, 10 being the highest. Students say that school is what stresses them out the most.

“ I try really hard in my classes, but for some reason I can’t write an essay that’ll impress my English teacher, it gets me really mad,” junior Samantha Nava said. “Writing essays is really nerve-racking, especially the one’s we have to write in less than 40 minutes.”

Although schoolwork is a common factor that triggers stress, it isn’t the only thing that causes the hair falling.

“School work doesn’t stress me as much as socializing does,” junior Angelica Barajas said. “ I hate not being able to talk to people as good as other people do.”

Giron, who suffers from anxiety has to learn how to cope with it.

“I have to stop and take a breather when I get anxiety attacks and take medication for it everyday,” Giron said. “ It really helps a lot.”

Other students take a different approach when dealing with feeling anxious.

“To help cope with my anxiety, I simply redirect it,” junior Anastasia Barr said. “ Worrying about the test I just took won’t help me, but focusing about the homework that’s due tomorrow will.”

Students have different ways of escaping their stress.

“I like to drive out by myself and hang out by a lake and just look at nature’s beauty when I’m stressed or hang out with my friends,” junior Nebai Tapia said. “I recommend it if you’re ever feeling stressed because it honestly helps me when I’m feeling anxious.”

Some students don’t get as stressed as others and know how to balance everything.

“ I don’t know but school doesn’t really stress me out, and I take both sophomore and junior classes, since I’m trying to graduate early,” sophomore Joshua Trevino said. “You just have to learn how to manage.”