College, work, and a social life can leave students feeling overwhelmed, which can take a toll on one’s mental and physical well-being.
Students are facing many stressors daily such as family, school, part-time job, relationships and/or finances
“Family issues are the main factors of stress, (students) have all kinds of dysfunctions with families, whether it be finances, or how they are going to leave them to go to college,” Ruth Taylor, EC psychologist said.
Stress comes from anywhere and almost anything, , so it’s important to recognize them in a realistic manner.
“Stress management has a lot to do with prioritizing the things that need to be done,” Taylor said. “Find out what it is that needs to be done in the short-term and what are extended priorities.”
Students may have added family responsibilities. Since everyone comes from a variety of family backgrounds, finances can have some people coming from a comfortable or a not so comfortable financial situation.
“Eighteen to twenty-year-old students are realizing that they have more control in a situation and they wonder what will happen to their families in the future,” Taylor said. “It’s important for them to think about what needs to get done now first.”
College students are faced with finding new friends, family issues, relationships, and financial situations.
“Having a little stress in your life is a good thing, it motivates people. It’s when people don’t know how much stress they can manage that it interferes with their life,” Taylor said.
Meditating for a few minutes a day can help relieve stress levels and help clear your mind.
“Regular exercise is good for naturally releasing chemicals in your body for anti-anxiety,” Taylor said.
The student health center has been busy seeing students as well as the school psychologist.
“I never knew we had a school psychologist or that it was free to see them,” Julia Pearson, undeclared major, 18, said. “I never really knew what the health fees really went for.”
Students pay $17 in health fees every semester and most don’t take advantage of its benefits.
“The health fee covers six individual psychological sessions with a psychologist a semester,” Taylor said. “Six may not be that much but it’s still free and available to students.”
Most students are usually stressed before midterms and finals where a lot of their grade relies on that test.
“If you talk to somebody then your feelings are out and that definitely helps someone deal with stress,” Rico Vargas, computer science major, 20, said.
It’s important to speak with supportive people in your life like friends, understanding family members, or boyfriend/girlfriend.
“Stress is normal but when it gets in the way significantly thats when you need to talk to someone important in your life, or to someone supportive,” Taylor said. “It’s important to find a balance between stress, fun and entertainment, even if people are too busy.”