It’s the time in the semester when students’ stress is mounting, increasing steadily until exams are completed, papers submitted, and presentations are in the past. Stress related to the academic work itself can be compounded by other sources of stress, such as the housing lottery, course registration, or lining up summer work. For some, there’s even stress over the thought of being back home for the summer, or being away from their school friends for months. For seniors, it’s the stress of the huge transition of moving on the next phase in life.
Stress is experienced when a person perceives that the demand exceeds the resources they have available – they don’t have the know-how, time, motivation, etc. What happens in response to a stressor? There is an aroused physiological response – an increase in stress hormones. There is a desire to avoid the stressor. And, there is a sense of loss of control, which in the extreme can result in feeling helpless, which in turn can result in feeling hopeless.
Stress can indirectly affect one’s ability to learn since it has a negative impact on physical health and sleep. Chronic stress can affect the immune system, inhibiting the ability to fight off infection, resulting in more frequent sickness. Stress also interferes with one’s sleep, leaving you tired, cranky, and cognitively sluggish.
Stress also directly impacts memory, concentration, and problem solving. While a small level of stress actually helps the brain perform better, stress that is too severe or goes on for too long has a negative impact on learning. It worsens the ability to perform math calculations, process language, remember information, take in and process new information, concentrate, and reason.
What Can We Do to Help? 
While there are long term, comprehensive ways to help students cope better with stress, we’re in crunch time and want to help students successfully get through the here and now. Gaining a sense of control is a key way to reduce feelings of stress. Here are some immediate ways to help students who have become stymied by their stress to gain a sense of control:
- Be an empathetic listener who can help come up with coping strategies.
- Help students become aware of the physical symptoms that are associated with their stress, so that they can recognize it early on and work to reduce the stress before it escalates.
- Show students that through effective time management and planning they can accomplish what they need to get done. Help them break down large assignments, plot due dates, and designate time slots to get their work done.
- Recommend taking regular breaks every 1 ½ to 2 hours while working on assignments or studying to eat a healthy snack, listen to music, or take a walk. Setting a timer is a good idea so they know when to get back to work.
- Suggest students attend the mindfulness or meditation groups that exist on campus (contact Counseling Services for more information) or add regular exercise to their daily routine. They might say they don’t have time for one more thing, but these are tried and true ways of reducing stress, so it’s worth the minimal time commitment. For those who truly feel they can’t spare the time, they can find a meditation app on their phone and listen to that for 5-10 minutes.
- This one is tough: encourage students to say “no” when necessary. It’s not helpful to hang out with friends whose stress levels fuel your own. Nor is it helpful to be lured away from what you need to accomplish by a friend who is prioritizing fun over work. But, find the right kind of friend who is also working diligently, and sharing a laugh every now and then can be a great way to help reduce stress.
