From Mango Street to Campus Drive

How to deal with stress-related issues
By Cristine Masters, R.N.

For this article, I researched the topic of stress and found an abundance of lay literature and magazine articles. Oddly, I found very few scientific research articles that discuss stress-relief strategies for college and graduate students. Somewhat perplexed, I thought about stressful and non-stressful periods I have had in the last eight years (my university experience to date). In the last month or so, my stress levels have not undergone the customary spike that comes with beginning a new quarter. The first few weeks have come and gone, and I am still breathing easy and do not yet feel suffocated by the prospect of impending tests, papers, clinical reviews, etc., so I began to think about how this quarter was different from the previous one.

Before the beginning of last summer’s quarter, I returned from a long road trip to North Carolina two days before classes began. I purchased my textbooks late and I struggled with my new schedule throughout the summer. I rarely felt prepared for anything, and it seemed nearly impossible to exercise regularly. Midway through summer quarter, I started to feel inundated by the stress of my daily schedule.

This quarter I planned a mini-road trip to West Virginia that ended four days before I had to return to school. I pre-purchased all my textbooks and prepared my new spiral notebook before the start of classes. I threw out my old desk and bought a new, inexpensive one that better suited my needs. To stay fit, I chose to start dieting and scheduled clinical hours so that it was possible for me to join a soccer league and run in the afternoons. Afterwards, I am usually more motivated to visit the library or go to work. This quarter I have taken on a few more responsibilities but, thus far, I am managing them well. I am a little tired, but I am working on improving my sleep schedule.

Thus, in two quarters I have learned a few simple guidelines for coping with new-quarter stress. Stressful days can be avoided with a few hours of planning and preparation, and timely organized vacation plans ease the transition from holidays to school. Anticipating what you will need and having expectations for the coming quarter help minimize stress. Arranging time for physical and social activities is as important as scheduling work and study periods. Most importantly, critically prioritize tasks and choose activities that will ultimately bring you the most satisfaction. My friend, Ernesto Escoto from Counseling and Consultation Service, expands on these suggestions and provides more details for stress management and stress-relieving activities in the article below.

Managing Stress
By Ernesto R. Escoto, Ph.D.

While some stress can add excitement and opportunity as we move forward to reaching goals in our lives, too much of it can lead to serious physical and mental problems. In order to more effectively manage unhealthy stress, it is important to know and understand the signals and sources of stress as well as develop and implement effective stress-management skills.

The suggestions in this article are not all-inclusive and are not designed to be a substitute to consulting with a medical and mental health professional, particularly if your symptoms have become chronic and/or are now interfering with your ability to function adequately at work, school, and/or home. A number of OSU resources are listed at the end of this article.

Signals
How stress is manifested can be influenced by cultural background, among other factors. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to a full range of symptoms. Here is a list of the signals of stress:

Sources of Stress
Life stages (e.g., adolescence, early adulthood, adulthood, etc.) have much to do with the sources of stress we are likely to face. As Cristine pointed out above, most college students’ sources of stress can be positive and less positive events and may include leaving home for the first time, school-related demands, work/internship, establishing and maintaining social relationships, financial concerns, living alone or with roommates, studying abroad, experiencing discrimination because of your ethnic/racial background or sexual orientation, and/or simply falling in love.

Managing Stress
Though you may be familiar with some of these skills, they still may require that you apply them regularly in order to increase your competence and confidence as well as their usefulness in helping you manage stress successfully. After reviewing and briefly practicing the skills below, take the time to identify your top three based on their usefulness and/or personal preference and make them a part of your daily routine.

• Relaxation skills such as deep breathing—take a minute to inhale deeply and slowly; inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth; repeat slowly until you feel relaxed.
• Time management skills: Take the time to plan ahead. Develop a reasonable schedule that integrates regular (i.e., daily) time engaged in activities aimed at managing your stress.
• Seek support: Build/maintain a support system—one, two, or a group of individuals with whom you feel safe, supported, and validated. Talk about your concerns/stress/personal circumstances.
• Laugh! Watch a funny movie or learn to laugh at yourself.
• Re-assess your lifestyle: If your lifestyle is the source of much anxiety or stress, consider revising it. This may include making changes to your school/work schedule, sleeping/eating habits, and/or to the way you do, or do not, take care of yourself.
• Engage in physical activities: Physical activity (e.g., aerobics, yoga, cycling, walking, etc.) will release your pent-up energy and alleviate much of your symptoms of stress.
• Express yourself: Cry, write a letter to someone, or write in a journal, paint or draw, or express yourself in any other artistic way. These are all good stress relievers.