Stress is no secret to the average Sacred Heart Academy student, whether you’re juggling ten homework assignments or cram studying for a test next period, we all feel this overwhelming sense of stress during the school year. In recent years, many studies on meditation and the benefits of meditation have been surfacing and gaining much popularity. Many more people are adding mediations into their daily routines and especially during these times of stress. It has been proven that people who meditate daily feel a reduction of stress levels throughout the day. So, what better club to have at Sacred Heart Academy, then a meditation club? However, meditation might not appeal to everyone. SHA offers a world of different activities and resources to help reduce stress. Yet, this article will begin to discuss just a few different methods of dealing with stress at SHA.

Mental Health and Meditation Club

Over the past two years, staff member and teacher, Mr. Marques, has been working with Abby Moran, student, to create the perfect meditation club and mental health club. Abby Moran had the idea to start this club, which originally began as the “Wellness Club”, yet has recently changed to the Meditation and Mental Health Club. A club where all can feel welcomed and safe to share the stresses of their day and then meditate those stresses away. This club aims to reduce stress levels and better mental health amongst all of its members. A typical meeting is five to ten minutes long, held each Friday after school in room 246. Each of the club members follow a guided meditation off an app on a leader’s phone. However, since group meditations might not be for everyone, by contacting Mr. Marques, he can share helpful information about meditations and some helpful tips to begin you on this journey.

Leaders of the club have found it ironic that the decline in the student’s attendance is due to stress and busyness. Students are too stressed and busy to go to the club meetings that can help them with this problem. Taking even a five-to-ten-minute break can help reduce stress levels and calm the mind and body. If you’re looking for a safe space to destress from your day, the Meditation and Mental Health Club is definitely something you should check out.

Meeting with Teachers

From day one of freshman year, each teacher has been stressing to students the importance of extra help. By staying after with a teacher, you can receive the special individual help that you might need in that class. Staying after and getting extra help can be extremely beneficial. By doing this, you are learning and connecting deeper with the material, reducing testing stress significantly. Getting extra help is a great way to boost your grades while also reducing stress.

It is much easier and much less stress to take an assessment knowing the material, rather than cram studying the period before. Meeting with a teacher, before or after school, can greatly help improve your stress and prepare you for any type of quiz or test.

Peer Tutors

Peer tutors are also available to help other students during all study periods in room 313. These students are all involved with National Honors Society and have taken classes that you may be struggling in. Visiting a peer tutor is a great way to help further you’re understanding on a topic. It is proven that peer tutors and teachers are able to teach you in a way that helps you connect with the material and deepen your understanding of it.

By taking advantage of the many resources that Sacred Heart Academy offers, like its meditation and mental health club, as well as peer tutors and specialized help from teachers, a huge weight can be lifted off your shoulders. We all deal with stress here at SHA, yet there are many resources available to you to help reduce this stress and calm your mind overall.