Stress is common among college students but there are ways to manage it.
Most students want the full “college experience,” not just the academics. The college experience can include going to class, joining organizations, making friends and of course partying. How can you get good grades and enjoy your college years?
There are some days when the “full college experience” is extremely stressful. Have you ever experienced days when you have a paper due the next day, a club meeting to go to and a friend asked you to hang out with them?
Sammy Ngetich, a counselor with University Counseling Services, said the first step in tackling your stress is figuring out what is causing it. Most students are stressed out because they have issues balancing their time, you have to figure out, “where your time is going,” he said.
There are 168 hours in a week and 24 hours in a day what do you do with that time? Your time can be split between classes, work or school activities.
You may also dedicate an hour every week to Vh1’s “Love and Hip Hop” and then another hour to another “Hit the Floor.” You may also be watching the latest episode of Catfish on MTV. The time it takes to watch these programs accounts for three hours of your day.
What if you go to a block party after catching up on your shows? That can add up to about another three hours. Once the block party is over how long do you spend on the phone talking about the block party?
There isn’t anything wrong with enjoying these activities but students need to prioritize the importance of each activity, he said.
Student stress can also come from relationship and financial struggles. Break-ups, friends or even family issues can cause stress.
Once you figure out what is causing you stress you can move on to the next step — handling it. If your issue is balancing your time, then you need prioritize, figure out what is most important to you. A few questions that can help are:
Did I over commit myself to some activities?
What activities can I cut out?
The next step is to create a schedule. Plan a schedule for each day and then build up to each week. If you are not used to being on a schedule, start with a prioritized “to do” list. Add these “to do” lists to each day of the week.
Free agendas are available in Murphy Hall 104 for students. But if you’re not a paper person, there are lots of electronic options for scheduling: apps and Google.
Jacquline Maxwell, a senior public relations major from Charlotte, said “I schedule my life through Google, from time frame to time frame.” Maxwell, a former member of the swim team, graduates in December. She relies on her calendar to keep her on task. Maxwell was on the swim team, where her life was planned around practice and meets. “
Another way to handle stress is by briefly removing yourself from the situation. If you are stressed out, it helps to make a moment for yourself. Taking a walk can help give your mind a break. Listening to music or doing an activity you enjoy can also help you to calm down.
Ngetich said three of the contributors to stress for students can be lack of sleep, lack of exercise and a poor diet.
“If you stay up all night, the next day you wake up tired and you didn’t get something to eat you will spend the whole day tired and hungry,” he said. If this behavior continues you can sometimes even spend the whole week feeling like this. When making your schedule for the week ensure that you put some time for exercise and an adequate amount of time to sleep. Try to take some time out to cook at least once a week. Try to also choose healthier choices in foods when eating at the cafeteria or the Sit-In.
Talking to friends or family can also help with handling stress. Doing this may help you to feel less alone.
If you feel like you don’t have anyone to talk to, call Counseling Services at 336-334-7727. The main office is in Murphy hall room 109 but they have satellite locations across campus.
- KEENE-ANN JAMES Contributor