Stress: How it affects college students and possible ways to deal with it

Some worry about loans, some worry about grades, maybe a job, or friends, or responsibilities — to say the least, college can be, and is, a stressful time for many students.

According to the National Alliance for Mental Illness, 45 percent of college students have felt more than an average amount of stress in the last 12 months.

“I’m taking 15 credit hours this semester; so far my stress is not terrible but I’m taking a history and two comp courses. My stress level is going to go high once everything is going to be due at the same time,” said Bryan Pflieger, an undecided second-year.

Stress is a normal and unavoidable part of life according to Theodor Rais, the director of the childhood and adolescent psychiatric division at the University of Toledo Medical Center.

“The most important thing you can do is ask for help,” Rais said. “Do not worry alone, always ask for help.”

The best sources to get help, according to Rais, are your parents or a professional. For students who want some professional guidance, help can be found through the Counseling Center located in Rocket Hall.

“We know stress is going to be there,” said Stanley Edwards, the director of the UT Counseling Center. “We want to give students the tools to learn to manage the spikes in their stress level.”

Every student finds different methods to relax.

“Before a test, we [classmates] get together for a study group,” Pflieger said. “We tell jokes and it helps us cool down so we’re not freaking out right before we take the test.”

Some advice Edwards gave was for students to try and incorporate 10 activities that help to relieve their stress on a daily basis.

“Once students let their stress level reach a boiling point, it’s much harder to bring yourself back down to a manageable level,” Edwards said.

The problem is that while there are good and healthy amounts of stress, there are also unhealthy loads of stress that get dealt with poorly. Once the stress reaches an unmanageable level, other problems like depression, anxiety, addiction or emotional disorders could form.

In the past year, 31 percent of college students have felt so depressed that they said it was difficult to function, according to the American College Health Administration.

For overall mental health, Edwards emphasized a system of general mental health care.

“Self-care is super important,” Edwards said. “Pay attention to these areas: serenity, nutrition, exercise and people or community. You don’t have to hit all four at the same time but keep them in mind.”

Edwards said having serenity in your life means finding activities that calm you down.

For example, Edwards said maintaining a healthy life style will keep students feeling good about themselves and be a great mood booster. Building a network of friends and colleagues is another way Edwards suggested to build a support system for one’s health.

For college students, finding a space in which they can sit and relax and de-stress can be difficult, especially when living on campus.

The counseling center realized this problem and has recently opened a space for students to relax in. Students can make a half hour appointment and sit in the new relaxation room. The room has a massage chair, calming music and aroma therapy.

According to Rais and Edwards, self-care is one of the most important aspects of managing stress.

Similarly, more than 50 percent of students have felt overwhelming anxiety at some point in their college careers.

“When you get older, you have a perspective of things and things are temporary,” Rais said. “Your perspective will change over time.”

Rais said the hardest times are the transition moments of life. He said if you can deal with the changes life throws at you, then you’ll find your stress and anxiety easier to manage.