Going back to school is a difficult transition. The earlier wake up time, hours of homework and increased stress for many students make it difficult to come back. The transition is not only hard for students, but it is also tiring for teachers and counselors who are returning to school. With summer ending and school back in session, some new and returning faces at Tigard High talk about their thoughts concerning the transition.

Counselor Gwenn Stover knows a lot about the difficulty of the back-to-school transition on students. A self-proclaimed “yoga nut,” she enjoys spending time outside, which is one of the reasons why saying goodbye to summer is so hard. To some students, coming back to school is a relatively stress- free time, but to most, the stress runs heavy. Stover loves seeing students and working with them. She encourages students to stop by and say hello!

“Don’t forget to sleep, eat, exercise and make room to play! Make every day count. To manage the stress, I make sure I have time every day to exercise or just slow down and reflect on my experience,” Stover said.

Charles Chung is a new teacher and coach at Tigard High. Chung previously taught at Liberty High School; this will be his tenth year teaching. He is giving a fresh point of view to students taking American Literature and Comprehension, putting his own personal spin on the English class offered to juniors and seniors. He is a new coach for the boys’ soccer team, specifically coaching the goalkeepers. Chung has played soccer since high school for about 20 years.

“When I was interviewed they were telling me how they were looking for someone to kind of do things differently for American Lit, and I love to do things differently,” Chung said. His daughter continues to keep him motivated. Believing being in education will prevent him from turning into a helicopter parent, though. Chung also became a teacher so he could raise kids. Having all of the same breaks as his kid just made sense to him.

Nick Ung is a senior who is balancing sports, work and school. He keeps things balanced by trying to stay ahead with homework whenever he doesn’t have a game. Coming back to school hasn’t been too stressful for Ung, but he prioritizes his activities to stay on top of things. Ung misses the flexibility of summer but enjoys seeing his friends every day.

“Coming back to school is difficult just because I get used to staying up late and sleeping in, and besides work, my schedule during summer is pretty open. School isn’t that stressful for me but I usually just like to hang out with friends and relax. Not a whole lot keeps me motivated honestly, I’m just ready for the final push and high school to be over,” Ung said.

Staying motivated in school after almost three months of summer can be demanding for many students and staff. Going to school events is a good way to get involved with the school while having fun and giving yourself a break.

There are many resources available for students who need some extra help and teachers are available before and after school to provide extra assistance. School can be tough, but peers and the staff here offer many support systems to help students get through another wonderful year.