By J1 Reporter Alena Kehm

It’s early. The street lights are still on. Junior Lucy Mendenhall walks to her car. She gets in. She starts the engine. Then she does something that could change the course of her day. She presses play. 

Each morning, Mendenhall listens to a New York Times news podcast. Like many other news-media consumers, she doesn’t always like what she hears. Each headline paves the way for a new worry. 

Stress and anxiety due to the news is becoming a common obstacle for many teens. Thoughts about current events can be all consuming and create worry.   “It just stresses me out when I see things that are going to affect people I love,” Mendenhall said.

With the popularity and ease of access that social media provides, teenagers are being exposed to more news and overall information, than ever before. Despite the many positive qualities of social media, when it comes to current events, accuracy is not one of them and misinformation is common. 

“It’s very bad because a lot of things on social media are construed or forced to look good for a certain party,” Mendenhall said. Mendenhall said she believes that the best way to forgo this extra news stress is by finding news elsewhere. “I try to look at things that are mostly bipartisan,” she said. 

As stress from daily life and current events pile up, finding ways to de-stress becomes crucial. “Honestly, I think the biggest thing is talking about it,” Mendenhall said. Having productive conversations surrounding politics and other important issues is crucial to move forward. 

While news may be a big part of life today, Mendenhall said she believes that it shouldn’t be all consuming. “You can’t let it control your happiness. You can’t let it control your life.”  

Photo Created on Canva by Alena Kehm