As Days Get Brighter, WHS Students Report Lower Stress Levels in Second Semester

by Adeena Aijaz '26

As the sun begins to shine over Connecticut and the presence of the second semester is heavy at WHS, many students find themselves making promises to change how they approach school based on their performance in the first semester. However, the first semester is not the only factor in identifying the differences in student habits during the second half of the school year. Looking toward the changing seasons in the second semester, the introduction of spring and sun has more of an impact on student behavior than initially thought.

Kimberly Niemiec, the psychology teacher at WHS, remarks about the effects weather can actually have on student emotion during the school year. Mentioning Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise known as seasonal depression, Niemiec noted, “...The lack of light seems to be part of the issue for some people.” An obvious characteristic of the seasons occupying the second semester is the increase in sunlight during the day, as daylight saving time comes to a close. This vitamin D can do wonders for improving people's moods. This is because sunlight helps stimulate the brain to produce serotonin, the neurotransmitter whose job is to increase people's moods and follow the slogan “keep calm.”

I looked at actual student opinions on how the differing seasons affect their experience during the school year academically and socially. When asked to rate how much stress they feel on a daily basis from 1 to 5 in the first semester, about 75 percent of students remarked feeling a 4 on the stress scale. Comparing these results to how stressed they felt in the second semester, most answers leaned toward the lower side of the scale, recording about a 1 to 3.

The students were then asked what their favorite thing about the second semester was, and Vivian Huynh, a sophomore at WHS, commented, “With the weather being more happy, I get more happy.” This statement almost directly correlates with vitamin D and its effects on people's emotions.

Although a question asked students overall if they feel happier or worse during the second semester and the majority picked worse, when asking one of these students what their favorite thing about the second semester was, they stated, “That school is almost over.” This allows space to agree that schoolwork and academic stress can heavily suppress these students' serotonin levels. Being inside for seven hours while peak UV levels happen can lead to a restriction in students' emotions when they are supposed to be happier as the weather gets nicer.
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Overall, the effects of the weather during the year have a prevalent place in our emotions. Possibly one of the most accessible resources when you are in a bad mood, take it upon yourself to walk outside if you’re feeling down for just 15 minutes. The sun can have a bigger impact on you than you think. So as the weather gets warmer, I hope that everyone finds a spark they have been missing these past few months.

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