Stress Awareness Month
April 21st, 2025
Writer: Nicolette Peremen
Editor: Sophia Wohl
When I hear a term or phrase followed by “awareness month,” I often correlate it to a topic that is not as openly discussed or acknowledged as it should be. There are certain issues in the world that deserve more attention than they receive, so their respective months serve as an opportunity of representation. That’s why I find it silly that there is such a thing as “Stress Awareness Month.” Stress is not a taboo topic in my life–it is all consuming. I am too aware of it.
I am writing this article in the midst of finals season. Right now, I am bombarded by projects, exams, and last minute extra credit assignments. I find myself complaining to family members and friends about my stress and I am often met with the same, half-hearted questions and responses. “Have you tried not being stressed?” Yes, I have. “You’re doing this to yourself.” Sorry, I don’t have control of it. “Why are you so stressed?” Take a guess–there are a lot of correct answers. “This, too, shall pass.” I know, but I want it to pass now.
It’s as if I am the only person who has ever felt stress. Has no one else ever felt this way? I find that very hard to believe. I think people often forget that stress can be provoked in a number of ways, so they dismiss it. Stress is not simply caused by [school] work; stress is caused by shifts in relationships, an unexpected life event, lack of security in the future, and so many other variables. This overwhelming sense of pressure manifests throughout our day-to-day lives; you can feel it, but no one else can see it–it’s like an invisible illness.
I suppose the greatest benefit of this article would be to tell you how to cope with stress, but truth be told, I am the poster child of what not to do. I often catch myself “acting out” in different ways. This almost always makes the situation worse for me, but I can never seem to help it. I have lost all my autonomy to stress. The worst part is that my stress becomes anxiety; my anxiety becomes sadness; my sadness becomes anger; my anger becomes procrastination, and my procrastination becomes stress. It is a never ending, suffocating cycle.
I guess there is a silver lining in all of this. My father once told me that being stressed means you care. Unfortunately, hearing this doesn’t always help. Regardless, I don’t think he’s necessarily wrong. You want things to work out, but you’re worried they won’t–that feeling is completely justified. I try to match his positive energy, so I often reciprocate by saying stress is a privilege. How lucky am I that I have things that mean so much to me that I am worried about doing them an injustice?
Despite my previous skepticism, maybe I do see the benefit in “Stress Awareness Month.” A month of awareness does not necessarily mean learning the unfamiliar. Perhaps, instead, these months serve the purpose of looking at familiarity from a different perspective. In this specific scenario, it is not that I am unfamiliar with stress–I am quite acquainted with it–, but it gives me the chance to recognize that there is beauty in the chaos. Even more, this month has the opportunity to teach those around me that it is not trivial. Instead of being reprimanded for my “dramatization” of the matter, I can be met with support and encouragement. Because, yes, this too shall pass, but while it’s here, let’s stop pretending it's not real.
