The Take Five Room, located in the counseling office, is an asset to Bellevue West and fills a crucial role for students. Numerous students, including myself, have relied on it for a quiet place to go when struggling with a variety of challenges. It is available for students to take a break in, away from peers and schoolwork.

School is widely known to be a stressor for high school students: according to the American Psychological Association, 43% of students were stressed by the pressures of school. Counselor Susan Polk identified this stress as the biggest reason students ask to use the Take Five Room.

I have experienced firsthand this almost unrelenting pressure and the relief that this space is able to provide. Anxious about school life—whether it’s been grades, schoolwork load, or extracurriculars—the room has proven helpful time and time again.

Although the room itself isn’t always open, counselors have always been more than willing to find me a quiet, dark space to collect myself in. This has been an absolute saving grace on harsh days. It’s a vital service for the school to be able to provide, and one that Bellevue West deserves recognition for.

Not only does it allow students to get a sensory break from a potentially overwhelming environment, but included in the room are also coping tools such as coloring supplies and stress toys. Living with mental health problems can be a struggle, and for the school to provide support like this is critical. 

The wide usage of this room is a sign of just how important it is. Polk said she estimates that there is a student in the room 75% of the time, and another space has to be found at least once a week. Two of the three times that I have asked to use the Take Five Room, someone else was already in it.

High demand proves the relevance of this space, and the creation of and support for it provided by the school reflect true care for students.