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The World on Our Shoulders: Surviving College Stress
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Written by Elyse Beaudoin
You CAN handle the stress of college. And here’s how.
School can make a student feel like a court jester. Learning to juggle classes, homework, jobs, friends, romantic relationships, family, chores, and what seems too be a million other things is more work than any joker can handle, but don’t let the weight of these stresses make you feel like a fool. College is stressful for everyone and there are important techniques and services that students can rely on to help cope with the tension.
Stress stems from all walks of life. For example, commuter student Tracy Clear feels stress from having to drive an hour to get from home to school. On the other hand senior, Rebecca Gardner, who has lived on campus for four years, sometimes just needs to get off campus to relieve her stress.
These two students may seem very different, but in fact they are very similar. Both have stresses that stems from managing the small amount of time they have available, as many other college students do. They also use a common tactic to relieve their stress, simply venting.
Talk to Others
Talking to someone no matter if it is a suitemate, a boyfriend, a mother, a teacher, or just a friend can help relieve tremendous amounts of stress. Communication with teachers and employers can be just as important. Make sure that professors know much work is done outside of school and that employers are aware of the amount of school work that is expected. No professor wants to fail their students and employers know that if they overwork their employees, they will receive a lower quality of work. This way, both professors and employers will be more apt to change or variation.
Form a Study Group
Do not be afraid to tell someone that a work load is too much in order to seem more self-sufficient. Letting a professor know you are doing your best can make a world or difference. Also, asking other students for help or maybe even forming a study group can positively affect a student’s grade point average and stress levels.
Reach Out, Be Social
For many, one of the biggest stresses in life is simply being social. This may be because they feel alone in this complicated world, but we have to remember that everyone goes through hardship. The best way to conquer is to reach out to the community and to peers.
Blow Off Steam, Go to an Event
Russell Sage has a rich history full of traditions and events around those traditions. It is worth it to attend these tradition events and see if someone there has common interests or maybe if there is someone who is completely different and worth learning about.
Don’t Over-Schedule
This may sound like a novel idea to some, but making a point to not over-schedule can prevent stresses from happening. In this fast paced world, people often forget to figure out if they can actually fit in everything into their lives. Even taking one thing out of a schedule can create more free time than expected.
Get Enough Sleep
Another important thing to keep in mind besides communicating with others is physical health. Getting sufficient sleep is something that many students don’t do in order to complete their work, but the body simply can not function properly without sleep. Trying to work on assignments in advance to avoid pulling all-nighters is a good habit to form.
Eat Healthy
A healthy diet is also very often overlooked especially when eating on the run. When racing to grab a bite to eat make sure to avoid eating junk food and try to maintain a balance diet. It will not only make a person feel healthier, but also give them more energy. Both the campus dining rooms and some of the local cafes and restaurants carry healthy food options such as salads and deli sandwiches.
Get Regular Exercise
Some of us out there are very athletic and some of us are not. For those of us who are not, it is just as important to keep our bodies in shape as it is to tone up those brain muscles. Lack of exercise can often make a person feel lethargic or even ill.
There are resources available for students to utilize for exercise right here on campus. The Robison Gym provides Pilates, yoga, karate, and many other classes. The times and locations for these classes are listed on the bulletin board of the gym.
Get Mindful
Sometimes even when the body is healthy, the mind is in chaos. It can be hard to find a place of tranquility. The Jane Haught Wells Spirituality Center is one place on campus that students can go for some quiet meditation. The goal of this center, as stated on their website, is to provide a “safe place for spiritual gatherings.” They welcome an extensive range of diverse cultures, even those with religious convictions and uncertainties. At this center students have a place to recreate old traditions, expand their beliefs through personal reflection, participate in the community, or just come to pray or meditate.
Next time stress arises, just take a deep breath, and think of the some of the simple processes we can undergo to reduce stress. Communicating with teachers, employers, and peers can be very useful. Take care of mind and body equally well. And always remember that we are not alone and there are people around who can help.
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October 27th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Don’t forget about the spa nights Sage offers and the end of the semester activities like 11th hour pancakes to help alleviate stress!!!
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October 28th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Good thing midterms are almost over!!!
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