2008 Woodie Awards
Students find ways to handle stress
Lindsay Heil
Issue date: 10/8/07 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
are the higher stress levels. Much of what a person thinks of to be stressful is what takes place and is created in the mind.
People perceive certain things to be more stressful than they actually are, hence the reason most students find themselves cramming for exams.
College students feel stressed about relationships and money, but most importantly about academics.
"We should consider a healthy lifestyle as a form of good stress management," Dr. Patricia Broderick, stress-management professor at West Chester University, said. "We all get stressed, but knowing some tools for handling stress more effectively can be extremely useful, particularly for college students who are trying to balance a lot of things at the same time."
In order to keep stress levels low during the upcoming weeks, it could be helpful to make a personal commitment to care for one's self.
Broderick suggests taking the time to practice some stress-management techniques such as meditation, changing dysfunctional or negative thoughts and working with distressing emotions.
It is key to say "no" to some demands or distractions that disrupt what a person's priorities are and what is actually important to one in his/her college career.
Meditation is not as intense as it may sound. For a successful mediation, sit in a comfortable position and take slow and deep breaths. Relax the body and focus on breathing.
Creating a mental image may be an easy way to have one's mind stray from stressful thoughts such as a huge exam in the morning.
Dedicate about 15 minutes to relaxation, and one just may find that s/he is a little more refreshed and focused.
In preparation for a test-filled week, consider a healthier lifestyle. This can include proper diet, exercise, time management and finding ways to relax.
These tips are considered therapeutic approaches that can help restore normal function to the body and alleviate stress.
There are many places on campus for support, such as the Counseling and Wellness centers.
Also, taking advantage of the tutoring programs and learning resource center may make studying a little easier.
If a person is confused about something in class, the tutors are available to break the concepts down and help answer questions on a one-on-one basis.
"We are developing a stress reduction center on campus that will offer courses in mindfullness-based stress reduction," Broderick said.
This center will be open for service beginning the Spring 2008 semester. There is also a meditation group forming for students out of the office who have disabilities.
As for now, prioritize and remember, it is just a test, so breathe, stretch, shake and let it go.
Lindsay Heil is a fourth-year student majoring in professional studies with minors in health science and journalism. She can be reached at LH589265@wcupa.edu.
People perceive certain things to be more stressful than they actually are, hence the reason most students find themselves cramming for exams.
College students feel stressed about relationships and money, but most importantly about academics.
"We should consider a healthy lifestyle as a form of good stress management," Dr. Patricia Broderick, stress-management professor at West Chester University, said. "We all get stressed, but knowing some tools for handling stress more effectively can be extremely useful, particularly for college students who are trying to balance a lot of things at the same time."
In order to keep stress levels low during the upcoming weeks, it could be helpful to make a personal commitment to care for one's self.
Broderick suggests taking the time to practice some stress-management techniques such as meditation, changing dysfunctional or negative thoughts and working with distressing emotions.
It is key to say "no" to some demands or distractions that disrupt what a person's priorities are and what is actually important to one in his/her college career.
Meditation is not as intense as it may sound. For a successful mediation, sit in a comfortable position and take slow and deep breaths. Relax the body and focus on breathing.
Creating a mental image may be an easy way to have one's mind stray from stressful thoughts such as a huge exam in the morning.
Dedicate about 15 minutes to relaxation, and one just may find that s/he is a little more refreshed and focused.
In preparation for a test-filled week, consider a healthier lifestyle. This can include proper diet, exercise, time management and finding ways to relax.
These tips are considered therapeutic approaches that can help restore normal function to the body and alleviate stress.
There are many places on campus for support, such as the Counseling and Wellness centers.
Also, taking advantage of the tutoring programs and learning resource center may make studying a little easier.
If a person is confused about something in class, the tutors are available to break the concepts down and help answer questions on a one-on-one basis.
"We are developing a stress reduction center on campus that will offer courses in mindfullness-based stress reduction," Broderick said.
This center will be open for service beginning the Spring 2008 semester. There is also a meditation group forming for students out of the office who have disabilities.
As for now, prioritize and remember, it is just a test, so breathe, stretch, shake and let it go.
Lindsay Heil is a fourth-year student majoring in professional studies with minors in health science and journalism. She can be reached at LH589265@wcupa.edu.
RSS Feed
Be the first to comment on this story