After a gruesome day of attending classes and finishing a six-hour shift at work, he opens his laptop and begins to type. With an empty stomach he pounds away at the keyboard hoping to finish in time as his dirty laundry and dishes still need to be done.

For students working, attending college, and handling everything else in their lives, this scenario is not uncommon, making them easily susceptible to stress.

While dealing with stress can sometimes be painful it also can be manageable and the people at the Student Health Center want students to know that there is help available for them on campus.

“Whenever a student comes in, we assess them,” Debbie Conover, coordinator of the Student Health Services, said.

“After speaking with them at length, we may find that some are experiencing stress. They may not be aware of it, even if the exhibiting anxiety seems low,” she added.

According to WebMD, a website which provides information about health issues, problems that can cause stress include health, emotional problems, relationship problems, major life changes and family issues.

Some students find their own way of dealing with stress, whether it is smoking a cigarette or having a glass of wine with dinner. But there are also other ways of dealing with stress, such as exercising and meditating.

“Talking is also a release for me,” Van Alexander Jr., 19, communications major, said. “It’s very relaxing to speak to others. I guess that’s why I’m a communications major.”

According to the University of Massachusetts website on Mental Health issues, stress is known to cause rapid, shallow breathing and so it is ideal to encourage slower and deeper breaths.

“A healthy person able to stretch their comfort level, can manage a little stress,” Julie Land, Learning Disabilities Specialist, said. “And a little stress can be energizing and stimulating.”

However, Land added that taking too much of a risk and going too far from one’s comfort level can result in an overload, or being overwhelmed.

Nate Fernley, physical education instructor, said he has a different view on stress and that too much stress can be easily avoided.

“Sometimes stress comes out of not looking at the big picture,” Fernley said.

“You need to step back and look at what’s important in your life. Once you eliminate what is not important, a lot of stress can be eliminated,” he added.

The next Managing Anxiety Workshop will be at 6 p.m. today and the Anger Management Workshop will be at 5 p.m. today in the Student Health Services Center. Students are encouraged to visit the Student Health Services Center and find the best ways to deal with stress that works for them.