For most people, stress is a huge nuisance–always in the way of you staying on track in your everyday goals and tasks. Although stress can be somewhat of a pest, this is not the case for Alumni Addyson (Addy) Creamer.

Throughout high school, the hard-working freshman in college would often worry about assignments and stress over due dates. But what Creamer would quickly learn is how to adapt to all the pressures of everyday life as a teenager who is involved in extracurricular activities and a manager of a popular coffee shop.

The summer going into her senior year of high school, Creamer started working as a barista at the local Starbucks in Shrewsbury. She willingly took on this role with the knowledge that it would take away from her studies and time for leisure. If this was not enough, she also coached various youth gymnastics classes. 

Like any job, you must start with the easy jobs everyone had to do. Creamer did not just start out as a manager, she said, “I started with just simple tasks and am now one of the most experienced in the store.” Promotions and pay raises do not happen overnight, and without understanding this, it is impossible to excel in any field. Creamer embodies this.

While not at work, during Creamer’s high school career, stress always found a way into in her life. Creamer would often stress that college did not even seem like a plausible option at any point in her life. But, when school got difficult, she would go to her favorite teacher to help. Science teacher Kyle Hardenbrooke would often remind Creamer that “being smart doesn’t really matter; it’s about learning new things and not about memorizing the equation to get the answer correct.”

Creamer is now enrolled at Wesley University College, a private school, in Dover, Delaware. When asked about the level of stress college presents in comparison to high school, she responded, “College is much more laid back. Throughout high school, teachers stress how when you get to college they won’t accept late work or you would have to learn to manage your own time…If you need an extra day [the professor] will help you.”

While still in high school, Creamer had a passion for the medical field. This ultimately contributed to Creamer deciding to major in nursing at Wesley. Although some professors may be lenient in college, Creamer still manages her time appropriately to ensure she stays ahead of all the work and prevents a feeling of urgency or stress similar to how she previously felt in high school.

Stress played a huge roll in Creamer’s development as not just a student, but as a person. Not just scholars, but people everywhere, deal with stress. It can simply make or break you. Creamer’s young life is not just an inspiration, but a strong example of letting the stress make you, and help contribute to further success. 

Further advice Creamer offered those who are stressed was to “never give up on what you want to achieve” and “don’t ever let yourself get so stressed that you don’t want to do anything anymore”. Only you can determine if stress is a pest, or if it helps you to be the best.