As this school year continues, so does the adaptation to distance learning.  This transition has been a difficult one for everyone across staff and all grade levels. But for seniors, the difficult transition is combined with upcoming college application deadlines.

While this added stress may not be much different from other years, the change to distance learning has definitely made a different impact on students.  Largely due to the lack of in-person contact as well as an overflow of screen time, things can definitely feel worse in this unprecedented environment. These new factors have shown to have a negative impact on mental health.

“I’ve just been really busy due to dealing with college applications,” Joan Moci, 12, said. “I feel like my school work alone has been a lot to deal with.”

This isn’t the truth for all students at this time, however. Due to classes being online, some see an advantage in not having to attend classes in-person, because there is more time at home to work.  Also contributing to this could be the lack of extracurricular activities going on, such as sports. Things may be less stressful for some students as less could be required of them compared to previous school years.

“Distance learning, in a way, has actually given me more time to complete work,” Ziggy Leiva, 12, said. “I have been able to set aside time to do homework and my applications.”

As deadlines approach, students are taking extra steps in order to alleviate their stress, balance their schedule, and overall, improve their mental state.  Methods include taking care of themselves, organizing their workspace, and taking frequent breaks away from the computer screen. These are just some of the ways that students like Henry Gomez have been dealing with applications.

“When I’m really stressed, I’ll give myself a day break and work the next, Gomez, 12, said. “I think self care is something that is increasingly important at this time.”

Overall, there are many different ways that students have been dealing with the application process. Some see distance learning as a bit more of an obstacle when it comes to focus and getting work done, while others see it as something that can be turned into a positive. Regardless, the importance of taking extra measures to be more positive mentally is something that is necessary.