Spring Break
Stress inevitable for students, but can be manageable
Sarah Paeth
Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: Forum
It's the wee hours of the morning. Your stomach is growling, scolding you for eating those last two - okay, five - Twinkies. Your desk is littered with empty cans of Red Bull and piles of books. Your eye twitches as you refocus on the text you're supposed to have memorized for tomorrow's big test, worth 80 percent of your grade.
Sound familiar?
Stress is a part of life, but in college, stress is your life. The pressure to get good grades, pick the perfect major and graduate with a degree in four years is enough to throw any level-headed young adult into turmoil.
Poor nutrition, lack of sleep and dealing with new relationships can heighten the stress a college student feels.
With finals week looming close in the not-so-distant future, now is the time to recognize what causes stress and what you can do to avoid it. So how can college students avoid becoming victims of stress?
In sports, coaches say that "attitude is everything" - this mantra is true off the court as well. Students with a positive attitude score better on exams and have higher self-confidence than negative thinkers.
So put this in practice. Instead of thinking, "I'm going to fail that test tomorrow," think, "I've worked well under pressure before, and I know I can do it again." The more you tell yourself you can accomplish something, the sooner you start to believe it.
Between class, homework and life outside of school, it's not easy to accomplish anything with your schedule - time management is everything. Anticipate and plan for upcoming tasks; that means bust out that planner, create a to-do list and prioritize. You've heard it before, but saving everything for the last minute will put you over the edge and your grades in the toilet, so don't procrastinate.
In addition to managing your time, diet plays a crucial role in preventing stress. Snacking on sugar and consuming massive amounts of caffeine provide the quick spurts of energy needed to pull an all-nighter, but these habits prove detrimental in the long run.
Sound familiar?
Stress is a part of life, but in college, stress is your life. The pressure to get good grades, pick the perfect major and graduate with a degree in four years is enough to throw any level-headed young adult into turmoil.
Poor nutrition, lack of sleep and dealing with new relationships can heighten the stress a college student feels.
With finals week looming close in the not-so-distant future, now is the time to recognize what causes stress and what you can do to avoid it. So how can college students avoid becoming victims of stress?
In sports, coaches say that "attitude is everything" - this mantra is true off the court as well. Students with a positive attitude score better on exams and have higher self-confidence than negative thinkers.
So put this in practice. Instead of thinking, "I'm going to fail that test tomorrow," think, "I've worked well under pressure before, and I know I can do it again." The more you tell yourself you can accomplish something, the sooner you start to believe it.
Between class, homework and life outside of school, it's not easy to accomplish anything with your schedule - time management is everything. Anticipate and plan for upcoming tasks; that means bust out that planner, create a to-do list and prioritize. You've heard it before, but saving everything for the last minute will put you over the edge and your grades in the toilet, so don't procrastinate.
In addition to managing your time, diet plays a crucial role in preventing stress. Snacking on sugar and consuming massive amounts of caffeine provide the quick spurts of energy needed to pull an all-nighter, but these habits prove detrimental in the long run.
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