As students enter high school, the workload increases, and stress rises. People may end up quitting their childhood sport or hobby to adapt to this new life. But what about the students that continue these extracurriculars? Is it a stress reliver for them or a stress causer?
 
Throughout the years, students have been told that the more extracurriculars the better. While it may be true that being the president of two clubs and being an athlete can look good to colleges, what are the sacrifices that must be made? Ninth grader Savannah Wasko has just entered high school and does softball and extracurricular activities. “Sports have been a stress causer for me lately. I want to be the best at my sport, but I also do not want my grades to drop, so I don’t know what I am going to do. I feel like sports looks good to colleges, but without good grades, what’s the point?” The expectations of other people can influence Warriors’ view on their hobbies too. “My parents have always expected a lot from me when it comes to sports. It causes me stress if I can’t live up to those expectations and this can also affect my schoolwork,” says 10th grader Sydney Vaughan.

Some students may view extracurriculars as an outlet instead of something that causes them stress. 12th grader, Kaia Walker says that theater is her creative outlet and that it makes her excited to come to school. “With rehearsals most days, coming to school is a must. It also helps me keep good attendance and motivates me to get my schoolwork done fast so I’m able to rehearse without any worries. Having a creative outlet is very important to me and helps me in my daily life.” Creative extracurriculars and sports can go hand and hand when it comes to stress relieving. “Track allows me to get all my energy out before I do my homework. If I didn’t do track, I would never get any work done because I would get distracted” says 10th grader Jenn Montgomery.