By Lauren Rosenthal
Moorpark College student
Stress: it’s part of life, yet everyone experiences it differently. No matter the cause, it is no surprise that the National College Health Assessment found a mere 1.6% of undergraduate students have not experienced stress within the last 12 months. Coping with stress is important, not just for academic performance but personal health as well; you can learn to recognize and understand your stress, and thrive both personally and academically.
Here are a dozen techniques to try to manage your stress:
- Stress out your stress! Attack a stressor directly instead of ignoring it; this is a great way to begin problem-solving. For example, if you’re overloaded with credits, sit down and figure out a schedule that will work better for you next semester.
- Be social! Spending time with friends and loved ones can really alleviate some of the stress you have about that upcoming paper.
- Eat healthfully and exercise. Candy at the movies, pizza for dinner, fast food because it’s cheap (and admittedly good); we all know that junk food goes hand in hand with relaxation. But maintaining your body is maintaining your mind, and eating healthy can reduce stress.
- Talk to a counselor on campus about your schedule if you are feeling overwhelmed. Counselors are always available to talk scheduling and avoiding credit overload.
- Strive for realistic goals. Don’t overwhelm yourself with unattainable expectations. For instance, if your work and school schedules are clashing, figure out which is more important for you rather than struggling to balance both at the same time.
- Sleep! Sleep! Sleep! Get as much sleep as you can, at least seven hours a night. A good night’s sleep will help you conquer your daily stressors and challenges.
- Talk to yourself. Tell yourself how important and skilled you are. Slow down and give yourself credit for your accomplishments.
- Focus more on how much you can learn, rather than achieving a certain grade.
- Don’t compare yourself to others who seem more accomplished. Aim more towards achieving your goals and learning from your successes and failures.
- Money. It is never too late to apply for financial aid, like the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to view what aid you qualify for.
- Professional help is not out of the question; our schools have various resources on campus that support students’ well-being.
- Finally, take a break! Watch a movie, read a book, go on a walk–relax.
The ubiquitous nature of stress spells out why it is such a staple in the life of a college student. Even though stress may motivate you to finish an assignment, too much stress may overwhelm you. As students, we share many common sources of stress, such as health, balancing family, school and a job, class schedules, finances, and maintaining a social life.
Although these solutions are easier said than done, your perseverance will be rewarding. There is no need to feel stressed about your stress.