Balloons are like stress

Grade twelve students at St. Charles College were blowing up balloons today as a symbol of their stress levels. These students will form the graduating class of 2014 in a matter of months, and while they are thinking about their post secondary options, they are also trying to keep their grades up and budget for next year.

The Sudbury and District Health Unit came to deliver some stress strategies and tips to the soon-to-be graduates. One of the activities was for students to blow up a balloon and gradually release a little bit of air at a time. This was to show them how small stresses compound and create anxiety and depression.

Student Success Teacher Anastasia Rioux says, “the school has made anxiety and depression a focus this year after viewing the results of the school climate survey completed by students last spring. Students feel that they are stressed and don’t know how to deal with their feelings or where to turn when they feel that way.”

Public health unit nurses K.C. Rautainen and Stacey Gilbeau were on hand for the interactive session that left students pondering their stress loads.