Oct 15, 2014
Headline: Fight off stress the simple way
By Colleen Schonfield
It’s a six-letter word known for being the most inevitable feeling among any college student: stress. For some, it can act more as encouragement to meet goals, complete tasks or study harder, but for others it’s a slow defeat in the mind of a student who has pushed as hard as they can.
As Grand Valley State University students reach the half-way point of the fall semester and endure their share of midterm exams, it’s a common time for students to often feel “burned out” or overwhelmed with class loads. While it’s impossible to eliminate all negative stress, there are still ways to control reactions to it.
Know the triggers
Stress triggers are different for everyone. These may range from people, places or specific situations that cause an unbearable blend of anxiety and stress. If public speaking or class presentations spark stress, perform research and practice ahead of time to calm nerves. If there are friends or social situations that cause uneasiness, it may be time to avoid them if tense feelings arise.
Pace yourself
A large school project can be the last thing anyone wants to be working on the day before it’s due. It’s crucial to know your limits and realize what needs to be done ahead of time to avoid extreme procrastination, and potentially, the lowering of a class grade. Breaking large projects down into several small tasks can make full completion simple to achieve. Even more so is to set personal due dates if a professor hasn’t done so already. These due dates can act as checkpoints along the way to make sure everything is right on track. When it comes to studying for an exam with a large amount of material, break it down into smaller sections to prevent information overload.
Work Life Consultant for GVSU Human Resources, Susan Sloop, advises students to reach out and get support when encountering large stressors in life, as well as taking proper care of yourself physically, mentally and spiritually.
“You don’t have to suffer in silence and try to go it alone,” Sloop said. “There are so many resources right here at GVSU to help students, faculty and staff manage stress. Take advantage of them.”
To read the full article, visit lanthorn.com
