Don't let STRESS get the best of you

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Why Do Students Get Stressed Out?

It's just over halfway through the semester, and with so much on your plate right now, you may be feeling the pressure.

Kathy Gerber, a Student success advisor at Fanshawe, said a lot of students are in panic mode. "I'm finding a lot of people who are just now admitting to themselves that they're in big trouble. They haven't been coming to school, they haven't been doing their work and they haven't told anybody, so they're stressed to the top." Maybe you've received your midterm marks back and you're not doing as well as you had hoped… or know you should be. There are ways to find a balance and bounce back.

According to Jennifer Meksula, a counsellor at Fanshawe, we need to recognize that we're never going to have zero stress. "Everything is stressful: if you have a tag scratching your back — that's an environmental stressor; the chemicals in our food; the weather — the barometric pressure; all of that brings stress on our body. We can't remove stress on our body, but we can manage it."

Managing stress comes down to a lot of different factors: time management, proper study habits, making time for yourself, getting sleep... the list goes on. Below are ways to help manage your stress.

Relax, Breathe... Meditate?

Don't forget to breathe! Taking a deep breath when you're stressed out may seem a little ridiculous, but it actually helps. "Proper breathing habits and simple breathing exercises relax the body and the mind," explained Meksula. "Sometimes when we're stressed, our thoughts and actions tend to get a hold of us and make us (breathe rapidly) ... Always control your breathing, pay attention to your breathing, start doing some deep breathing."

Gerber agreed that proper breathing technique is important; "breathe from your gut, not the upper part of your chest — that just creates more tension."

Breathing is a critical part of many relaxation techniques. Yoga and pilates both combine physical activity with controlled breathing patterns. Why not try one of these classes and get in touch with your body, mind and spirit?

If exercise classes aren't your thing, have you ever considered meditation? "The goal of meditation is to practice uncritically attempting to focus your attention on one thing at a time and, as you know, many students don't have time to deal with one thing at a time," said Meksula.

There are meditation workshops available on campus in F2010 every Tuesday from 2 to 2:30 p.m. and Wednesday 3:30 to 4 p.m. No signup is required, and drop-ins are welcome.

Commit to Better Study Habits

Everyone knows they shouldn't procrastinate, but all too often students will pull eight-hour cram sessions and all-nighters to complete assignments or study for an exam.

Gerber said that many students rely on something called "course recovery," a false understanding of simply handing in assignments at the end of the term to receive better grades, which can create a big problem.

"Developing a plan from the beginning of the term lets you be proactive," said Gerber. She recommends reviewing from the beginning of the term. "Review your notes as soon after your class as possible and then maybe again in the evening and again the next day ... I'm talking like 10 or 15 minutes here or there, not long stretches. A quick review of those notes starts putting the information into their long-term memory."

She also suggested taking several short breaks when studying for long periods of time and creating one set of study notes.

If you're feeling overwhelmed about a large assignment, both Gerber and Meksula said you should break it down into small chunks so that you feel like you're progressing towards your goal.

Listen to Music

When I'm working on an assignment (or article), I usually have my earbuds in, listening to some upbeat DJ set. My reasoning? They're usually at least an hour so I'm not constantly worrying about which song to put on next, there are a lot of instrumental tracks, and ultimately it prevents me from getting distracted. For studying or memorizing, on the other hand, I need quiet. Experiment and find out what works for you.

"I often encourage students to pay attention to what kinds of music they're listening to," Meksula said. "Not all music has the same effect, so try to listen to music that has a positive theme — maybe upbeat music if you're trying to get yourself to do something."

Music can also give you a muchneeded break from your studies. "Listening to music can give you a break from your immediate surroundings," Meksula added.

Watch What You Eat

Chips, energy drinks and chocolate bars usually accompany allnighters and cram sessions, but beware of what you eat. "What you eat affects the way you feel," said Meksula. "Sugar usually offers an immediate rush of energy but then leaves you feeling lethargic and foggy. Caffeine speeds you up and this is a danger if you are already going faster than comfortable. Avoid eating any one food excessively or exclusively."

"If you're eating sugar and you're eating salt, all it does is make you tired so you can't concentrate," added Gerber. If you're studying for long periods of time, think twice before choosing foods that will give you energy for a short period of time but cause you to crash afterwards. As always, think healthy snacks!

Turn 'Em Off and Catch Some Z's

Yes, I'm referring to all of the electronic devices that seem to govern your very existence. I often fall asleep with a sea of electronics in my bed, including my laptop, iPad and cellphone. How many times have you tried to sleep, only to be woken up by a drunken phone call or friend's "emergency"? I suggest investing in an actual alarm clock so that you're no longer nervous about turning your phone off at the end of the day.

"People are expected to be available all the time and it's not realistic or healthy," said Meksula. There are demands of living in a 24/7 society, she added, "cellphones, Facebook, texting .... students are dealing with a lot more demands than ever before." She recommended turning off all "screens" at least 30 minutes before going to bed.

She also stressed the importance of sleep. "Sleep is often something that we forfeit, but it's critical to try to maintain a regular wake and sleep routine; your body needs that structure." Don't forget, all those all-night cram sessions will also ruin a proper sleep pattern.

Work It Out

Forget your stress at the gym. When you engage in a tough workout, your focus often becomes the physical task at hand and nothing else.

"We have an amazing fitness facility here," said Meksula. "I highly recommend students to exercise. Stress and anxiety brings an energy on its own and exercising is a healthy way to get rid of some of that energy. If students are worried about something, I suggest they take it out on the treadmill, because even if you're thinking about a problem when you're exercising, often times by the time you're done, you have a solution."

Do Something For You

Being a student can be extremely overwhelming. "When you're a student, you're rarely just a student," said Gerber. "Some people are parents, some people are homeowners, they're often sharing their time between part-time and fulltime work."

There are a lot of factors that can add to a student's stress scale. "Students have so many outside stressors, especially students who are coming away from home for the first time — they're having to take care of their finances, their housing arrangements … living with people in a house who they may not know, there's relation stressors, sometimes there's a girlfriend or boyfriend back home, " said Gerber.

"Students have a lot to deal with," agreed Meksula. "Many are trying to balance the demands of their academic program with jobs, volunteer activities, sport commitments, parenting duties. While the demand for their time and attention grows, the number of hours in a day remains the same."

Remember to take some time for yourself. Whether it's a hobby or sport, do something for you.

"Make sure that you have a balance, try to carve out one hour a day for yourself and do something that you enjoy — but a positive activity," said Meksula.