Stress in College Students, Stress Management for College Students

There are many reasons why stress in college students is so prevalent. All of us experience stress on a regular basis. Most of this stress is actually positive serving to motivate us. However, like most things in excess, too much stress has a negative effect.

Common Causes for Stress in College Students

• Competition for grades and the need to perform.
• Perceived obstacles to goal achievement.
• Selecting courses and subjects for specialization.
• Work deadlines.
• Environmental change; periods of significant transition.
• Homesickness, especially in the first year.
• Challenges to values in conflict areas like race, drug and alcohol use, morality, religion, and social expectations.
• Relationships and lack of them.
• Money worries as parental funds and summer earnings run out.
• Pressure of exams and thesis preparation.
• Choosing a career and finding a job.
• Depression about leaving friends and facing conflicts at home.

College students often experience stress on a regular basis. Most of this stress is actually positive serving to motivate us. However, like most things in excess, too much stress in college students is negative.

Some stress reactions may be connected to deep seated emotional problems. But most stress reactions can be handled by counselling and techniques of stress management for students which are helpful and appropriate for college students stress.

Stress Management For College Students

Here are some general guidelines re. stress management for students:

• Create a balanced and well organised lifestyle. Eat and sleep at regular times. Eat a well balanced diet and take a good quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement every day. Take some exercise every day. Attend classes and seminars, plan your working time and keep to it. Set aside some time for recreation. With effective time management, students can avoid constantly trying to catch up and the subsequent build up of stress in college students.
• Talk with a good friend or a counsellor to regain perspective on a problem or situation you are in. You may feel more in control after verbalizing your feelings and concerns about a problem. Also, their feedback may help you to emerge from the negative and isolated state that may occur by bottling things up.
• Use effective relaxation methods like guided meditation, self-hypnosis and positive self-talk, Qigong and Tai Chi, or just take a break and go for a walk, play some music or just have a laugh with some friends. Qigong exercise is the most effective stress relieving, health boosting exercise system in the world.
• Find which method for managing stress in college students works best for you and use it daily to allow your body and mind to experience profound relaxation, away from the troubles and toil of your daily life. This can help replenish your energy levels and ability to cope with work levels and deadlines at college.
• Develop a sense of purpose and meaning in your life. This will help you get in touch with what truly motivates and inspires you, and subsequently will guide you to make life choices which are in alignment to your sense of purpose and values. This can be helpful with academic decisions as well as social and relationship choices.
• Having a deeper knowledge of yourself will help you develop a sense of inner peace and a less experience of stress in college students.