A math test. An essay due. A presentation to memorize. A game tomorrow. A one-sided friendship.
Coping with day to day life can be handled in the moment by fidgeting to focus or practicing breathing techniques. But to truly unpack how something causes a specific reaction, talking to others and writing about it can give a person insight into the root of their stress.
“You’re not alone in feeling [stressed or anxious], and understanding the bigger picture can bring some solidarity that you’re not the only one going through this,” Wellness Center intern Kimmy Demkovich said. “A lot of times, we individualize our problems and our stress, and just know that this is a highly competitive and academic school, and a lot of other students feel the same way. [Stress] is a common feeling.”
To some students, talking to others is more than just getting through a tough moment. Instead, it helps them think more rationally about why they feel the way they do.
“I definitely talk to my friends and family when I feel stressed because I feel like it makes me feel seen or heard,” anonymous freshmaen girl Lily said.
Other students also said that just saying their thoughts and feelings out loud can help them work out their stress on their own.
“Support from family and friends is really a wonderful thing. They can give you the best advice that they can and help you with stuff from day to day, but support from a professional is definitely different,” senior Abigail Cothran said. “Personally, with stress, [my therapist] helps me understand why I’m stressed.”
According to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention published in June 2025, 20 percent of adolescents reported receiving mental health therapy.
“I talk with a therapist weekly, and she’s super awesome. It’s really helpful to break down all my coping mechanisms and just break down the stress,” anonymous sophomore girl JacquiElla said. “That’s super helpful, especially because she’s a professional, and she knows what she’s talking about and how to help me.”
An anonymous sophomore girl Katie said that she talks to her therapist about things she is not comfortable talking to family and friends about.
“[My therapist] helps me with strategies to keep stress at bay and she is really good at making meaningful suggestions,” Katie said.
While the Wellness Center does provide free, confidential on-campus counseling, JacquiElla said that it can sometimes be hard to voice difficult emotions out loud, even to a therapist.
“Sometimes I don’t want to tell [my friends and family], and sometimes it’s too personal of a conversation to actually talk about that,” Jacqui said.
An alternative way to process thoughts and feelings is through using your creative voice.
“I can write what I’m thinking, see it clearly and kind of dissect why it makes me feel that way and how I can go from there,” senior Donovan Sar-Garza said. “Creative writing involves more emotions, something you’re not being forced to do while academic writing feels like work.”
According to research done by James Pennebaker, expressive writing about feelings and thoughts can build self-esteem, reduce stress, enhance sleep, enhance memory, and in general, improve physical and mental health.
“Writing is such a great coping mechanism. I have seen 100 percent of my students experience dramatic stress release through writing,” said founder and director of the Intuitive Writing Project Elizabeth Perlman, who leads classes for young women to tell stories, speak their truth, and own their voice. “If we can write about it, we can process our feelings, express what’s inside us, [and] feel validated in the telling of the story. We will be able to bounce back and come back stronger than before, even if a bad thing happened.”
While writing can be a good way to cope with stress and process emotions, Perlman said that some young people don’t distinguish that creative writing is different from writing for school.
“Creative writing, which is writing without rules, is the opposite of school. [School] makes [writing] strategic and analytical,” Perlman said. “If you give yourself five minutes with a piece of paper and a pen and just write about how stressed you are, it’s like getting it off your chest. It’s so fulfilling to express yourself.”
