If you’re a student, you understand that stress is an inevitable demon lurking right behind you. One moment, everything is a picturesque, zip-a-dee-doo-dah type of day. The sky is a beautiful blue, students are sunbathing in their portable hammocks, and people are tossing frisbees to each other on the campus green. It’s almost comparable to those college tour videos found on YouTube. Suddenly, this perfect day transforms into a cinematic nightmare, as the stress demon makes its attack. Professor [insert their name here] emails the class last minute about an upcoming paper. The president of the acapella group decides to make a mandatory rehearsal tonight. And, your roommate has just messaged you about her boyfriend staying at the apartment over the weekend. At that moment, it feels like society has specifically targeted you to make every positive moment crumble like bricks; but the truth is that EVERYONE EXPERIENCES STRESS! Even the most laid-back individuals who manage to go to parties on the weekends, or are committed to multiple activities are experiencing similar, if not the same worries that we have now. How though do they remain so calm? The secret is not so much avoiding that stressors exist, but rather learning how to deal with them.
According to the article, Student Guide to Surviving Stress And Anxiety in College & Beyond, stress is defined as, “…the body’s reaction to challenge.” It’s often placed into three categories: acute, episodic acute, and chronic acute stress. Acute stress is the body’s reaction to both positive and negative events happening in our lives. For example, going out on a date or performing poorly on an exam can cause acute stress. However, it typically settles down within a reasonable amount of time. Episodic acute stress is triggered by ongoing thoughts of completing actions at that very moment. Think of it as if you have just been assigned a ton of readings for your literary course. You’ve been given four days to read them, but the brain keeps kicking your conscious to complete them all at that very second. Despite the urge being relieved once the readings are finished, it’ll happen again and again throughout the semester. Now, we get to the worst of them all: Chronic acute stress. Dun, dun, dunnnnnnn. This is the very demon that makes the most minor situation feel as if it’s a life-threatening emergency. In other words, a motherf*cking whirlpool. We have all experienced it at some point in our lives, which only makes us human. The good news is that both chronic acute and episodic acute stress can be prevented. Some ways to avoid stress in any way possible is by unlearning bad habits that create apprehension, and learning how to take care of yourself.
Clicking on this article is an excellent example of treating your mind. Rather than continuing to work on your arduous assignment sitting beside you, you’ve chosen to read a Her Campus piece about handling stress in college. Come on! Would you have known that there are three types of stress if you would have zipped through a hefty, psychology textbook? I don’t think so!
Speaking about treating yourself, how about your body? Now, I don’t mean splurging on cookies, chips, or soda. Although, it is okay to treat yourself from time to time. Also, going to the gym, taking physical exercise classes, hiking, and volunteering outdoors are all fun activities that can help you relax. According to the American Psychological Association, 62% of adults use exercise as a way to assist with coping with stress. Most colleges/universities even offer activities such as yoga, Zumba, martial arts, etc, so make sure to take advantage of them. After all, your tuition includes them. Have fun, and let loose.
Most importantly, make sure to take care of your spirit. If you have fifteen minutes to spare, use that time to meditate. Reflect on your day. Maybe it was super amazing. Or, you had a stress demon chasing after you. Despite what happened, always remember that tomorrow brings a new day full of new opportunities. It’s ok to fail, as long as you remember that failure is a way of learning. It doesn’t define the future. Rather, failure will shape you into a stronger, kick-ass person!
And remember…stress is just a part of life. Don’t let the irrelevant parts of life wear you down. Live, laugh, and embrace your college life.