Keeping active to deter stress from schoolwork

It is 3 a.m. and a college student procrastinated on a school project due in a matter of hours, the student is stressed out, tired and just wants to complete the project.

This is a scenario all too common to college students. According to a 2008 survey by mtvU and the Associated Press, eight in 10 college students say they had sometimes or frequently experienced stress in their daily lives. The survey also shows that school work had at the very least some impact on their stress. In the survey, 74 percent of students said schoolwork had “a lot” or “some” impact on their stress.

The amount of stress from being a college student can be extreme at times. The combination of school, work and social factors can add to the stress of a student.

According to The American Institute of Stress, stress is physical, mental or emotional strain or tension. Many things can cause stress; something as small as taking a dog for a walk may cause stress or it could be something as big as an important meeting at a job.

Stress can cause many problems ranging from irritability to heart disease and many other health problems. Even illnesses as minor as stomach pains and headaches can lead to even worse symptoms if not dealt with in time. Feeling a lot of stress is bad for people but people still need some stress for their body to work well, according to the American Psychology Association.

For many students most of their stress comes from dealing with classes and school work. Kenzie Shira, a student at UWRF, is just one of many students who find that most of their stress is due to school. Shira said that on a scale of 10, where a one means little to no stress and 10 means a great deal of stress; school is a 10 and causes her the most stress in her life. Daniel Earl is another UWRF student whose stress comes mainly from school. On a 10 point scale, his stress was a seven when dealing with school.

With so much pressure put on college students, students need to know how to deal with stress. According to the APA, it is as easy as eating right, getting enough sleep and engaging in regular physical activities. Doing activities like meditation and exercising are good ways to get rid of some stress. If someone is overwhelmed with stress it may be a good idea for them to meet with a psychologist and talk with them about their stress. Many colleges offer student health services for those in need of help with health issues, including stress.

It is also important, though, to know when you are stressed and what the cause of your stress is. Identifying and preventing the stress from getting worse is key to avoiding health problems, according to the APA.

UWRF students like Tel Mohen and Evan Loklwick deal with their stress by exercising and doing activities they enjoy. When asked how he deals with stress, Mohen said “I work out and do things I enjoy doing”. Loklwick goes for runs when he is stressed out. Both students are good examples of how to deal with stress by getting exercise.

College can be a very stressful period for people. If a person has too much stress it may lead to health problems later on. Preventing stress from overwhelming people could make a difference between being happy and healthy or being angry and unhealthy. Making sure to manage stress is not difficult if a person follows what the APA said. If they follow the advice then they should not have to worry about stress.