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By
Andrea Wilhelm
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ARRRGGHHH!
I have three papers due, two assignments to finish, an appointment,
a meeting, an interview, and an exam!
And it’s only Monday.
Does
this sound like your typical day? If so, you might be one
of the 25 percent of college students who report they’ve
felt like dropping out of school because of too much stress,
according to the Pittsburgh Health Education’s website.
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BGSU’s
Wellness Connection website identifies stress as “a number
of normal reactions for self-preservation.” Everyone has different
factors that cause stress. They also have different ways of dealing
with it.
Sophomore
Becky Wittrock said she experiences the most stress usually at the
end of each semester. To help with it, she tries to think of positive
things. “I get stressed when I have a bunch of things due in
one week,” she said. “I focus during the week and then
reward myself by going out on the weekend.”
Junior
Danielle Hicks said she has a lot of stress when she’s involved
in many activities at once. “Last semester I was really stressed
out because I was taking 18 credit hours, was an RA, and did Dance
Marathon,” she said. “To de-stress, I take a nap or leave
campus completely by going to Toledo, for example.”
Harmful
for your health
Sometimes
it may be impossible to completely de-stress our lives. But too
much of it can be harmful to our health. According to the American
Psychological Association website, stress is linked to the six leading
causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents,
cirrhosis of the liver and suicide. The website states that an estimate
of between 75 and 90 percent of all physician office visits are
from stress-related illnesses.
To
avoid stress-related illnesses, the Wellness Connection offers a
few lifestyle choices to help reduce stress. Some of these include
physical activity, proper nutrition, humor, time management and
relaxation techniques.
Craig
Vickio, a clinical psychologist at the Counseling Center, said the
three most common problems students come in for are depression,
anxiety, and relationship issues. “Stress is a common problem
that can be related to these,” he said. “These conditions
can cause stress and vice versa.”
To
help students deal with stress, both the Wellness Connection and
the Counseling Center have stress management programs.
With
the Wellness Connection, programs can be provided in residence halls.
“[The program] teaches students how to detect signs of stress
and how to deal with stress,” said Amy Sheldrick of the Wellness
Connection.
Mark
Krautheim, a counseling psychologist at the Counseling Center, said
the staff there also takes requests for stress management programs.
Student’s
feelings toward stress
In
a study performed in January by the Higher Education Research Institute
at UCLA, it was discovered that the number of college freshmen who
admit to having emotional and physical health problems has reached
an all-time high. Of more than 400,000 freshmen surveyed, only half
of them rated their physical health to be above average, which is
a decrease since the study performed in 2000.
Similarly,
the number of college freshmen who rated their emotional health
as above average fell a quarter of a percent this year. The decline
in emotional health dropped more than 10 percent in the last 17
years.
“Many
students reported feeling overwhelmed by the demands that they have,”
said Linda Sax of UCLA’s Higher Education Institute. “I
mean they are expected to get top grades, get jobs to pay for college
and do volunteer work. It becomes stressful.”
Addressing
stress at BGSU
In
a letter written to colleagues last year, BGSU President Ribeau
recognized stress in faculty members.
“I
am well aware … of your stress as BGSU faculty members,”
he wrote.
We
all feel tense at times. And with the end of the semester approaching,
stress will be on the rise for everyone.
So
the next time you have three papers due, two assignments to finish,
an appointment, a meeting, an interview, and an exam all in one
day, RELAX. It’s only Monday!
Ways
to beat stress
- Make
lists of things you need to do.
- Stop
trying for perfection.
- Rent
a fun video.
- Find
a peaceful place of your own.
- Keep
favorite photos and poems with you.
Source:
Wellness Connection brochure
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