So, in this Student Opinion question, we invited them to read about the things Times employees do to take care of themselves, and then share their own. Here are some of their tips for preserving and improving their mental, physical and emotional health:

Whenever I get stressed out, I draw. I know, I know, its a clich, but its what I do. As a high school student, I generally have a stressful life, what with schoolwork, extracurriculars, and spending time with my family. In order to not go insane, I often need to decompress. To do this, I put on some music, grab a pencil, and get drawing. If I didnt do this, Id snap. Drawing allows me to escape from all that chaos and just be.

Lucas Kruger, Hoggard High School, Wilmington, NC

With school, sports, and homework finding time to get good sleep during the week is close to impossible. Taking time to simply just lay down and take a nap is by far one of the most important things for me. 2 hours. Thats all the time I need to re energize myself and feel good again.

Now, dont get me wrong online shopping helps a lot too but there is no immediate energy boost. I reserve time every weekend possible to just take a nap. The amazing feeling of laying down after a long week and just forgetting all your responsibilities is by far one of the best feelings that one can encounter.

Kali Hatcher, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC

Crying, I realized, can be a good way to relieve excessive emotions. This leads me to understand why some people would need to power cry. I then tried it myself a couple of times and got to experience its power, although I rarely do it anymore since there isnt that much stress in my life if I prioritize.

Yuwei Hu (Emily), Hinsdale, IL

My idea of self care is simply listening to music at home everyday after school. Being very introverted, school can be extremely exhausting for me and I often find schoolwork to be overwhelming. Taking time to listen to music everyday and relax really helps me deal with the stress and pressure of school. It gives me a break from thinking about homework, grades, and my peers.

Eliana Donohue, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC

Everyday after school, I head home, and before even thinking about homework, food, or anything else, I blast music. Nothing will make me feel more at ease than playing a Ben Platt song at full volume and screaming out the words.

Kayla Young, Bryant, Arkansas

When I was in 9th grade, my dad made me go to some religious classes every weekend and they spent an hour every morning doing yoga. I always thought yoga was just something that moms do but I realized a lot over the past few weeks at yoga. It was calming and it let me release the breath I didnt know I was holding in. Im a very extroverted person and I really enjoy being around other people but this was a new experience for me. This was a time spent to myself where I could ponder on my thoughts. I never realized the point of it all but when I noticed that this was the moment just for me I started to feel like I can catch my breath.

Bhavana Dronamraju, Hinsdale, IL

Excerpt from:
What Students Are Saying About: Their Political Views, Self-Care and Travel Memories - The New York Times