By Joe Ruiz
Most, if not all, college students deal with stress that can be caused by worrying about their academic performance, financial problems and their future.
Everyone manages to deal with stress in a distinct way. College students tend to experience different levels of stress, alternating from minor to severe effects. With midterms around the corner, students begin to feel the pressure and may not realize overexposure to stress can cause physical and mental health problems.
Stress has become inevitable for most students in college. “As soon as I started college, I have felt a huge pressure on me,” said student Michael Cardenas. “Sometimes I find myself being frustrated and mad at anyone, for no reason. I think it’s because of school related stress,” said Cardenas.
There are many different ways to release tensions and stress that some students may not be aware of. Everyone has a unique way of dealing with stress, and not all stress relievers can be effective to everyone. “Music seems to always work for me, whenever I feel stressed out from a long day at school and studying for tests,” said student, Victoria Lopez.
The easiest way to help release some stress is by simply taking up a hobby. Physical activities such as jogging, bicycling and swimming can be used as stress relievers. Many students go to the gym to tone-up and work on a better physique.
Working out can be a great opportunity to keep the mind occupied with something other than school stressors. Time is valuable, yet some students don’t realize the importance of it and how it can easily cause stress. “I hate being late, but I can’t deny my jogging has become better since this semester,” said student Frank Chavez.
Some students attempt to schedule their classes as soon as their other class ends. Later into the semester students realize it can become hectic at times, stressing them out. “The biggest rush is getting from my first class to my second with sometimes two minutes to spare,” said Chavez.
A simple solution is to create an opportunity to simply relax your mind and body. As midterms approach the tension builds with every study session. To help maintain one’s stress level at a minimum, it is a good idea to make it a habit to work on projects and homework as they are assigned.
Procrastinating until the weekend or the night before an assignment is due is a guaranteed way to build tension and stress. Try to complete homework on time to avoid getting behind. Not finishing up old homework, and still having to review for a test will lead to less study time, and test scores will not be as good.
If you find yourself stressed out over a homework assignment or study session, relax. Take the time to clear your mind from all frustrations and go back with a relaxed mind to give it your best. Every problem has a solution. Don’t give up.