Students stress out as semester comes to a close

By Lesley Nickus
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer

As the week of finals draws closer, students are starting to realize they have loads of work on their shoulders and a dwindling amount of time to complete it.

Counselors, professors and parents always stress the importance of effective time management: do your work on time, prioritize your duties, be well rested and, most importantly, don't procrastinate. For many students, procrastination and ineffective time management have created what students experience around this time of the semester: stress.

"Finals stress me out because they put pressure on me to finalize the class on a high note. The best part is that I know that as soon as the last one is over, I will be on a plane flying home," said Autum Brown, a communications and public relations double major.

According to Dr. Gregory Hall at CampusBlues.com, warning signs of stress are changes in sleeping and eating patterns, more frequent headaches, shorter temper, recurring colds, muscle aches and increased frustration.

The effects of stress on students can range from mild to severe. Severe cases of stress can cause chronic fatigue, illness, weight gain, headaches and depression. These are some of the 13 signs of "burnout."

Stress is caused by "stressors" such as tests, final exams, large projects, the death of a close friend or relative, or even things as simple as an upcoming date or party. There are a number of things students can do to prevent stress.

"We get students that come in with symptoms of stress," said Deborah Bernal, a nurse at the Student Health Center. "We encourage students not to procrastinate and try to be as organized as possible and choose healthy foods."

However, since many students have a tendancy to procrastinate, once stress exists, organizing seems to do little to combat it. However, there are many ways to combat stress once a student is experiencing it.

"Deep breathing exercises, taking frequent breaks during study time and learning some muscle relaxation can help," Bernal said. She advises that people should learn how to do muscle relaxation through books or classes before trying it on themselves.

There are many suggestions as to how one should deal with stress. Although adding another item on the plate seems like the last thing someone would want to do when they are experiencing stress, including a physical activity in your weekly regimen at least three times a week can really help out.

Likewise, students should have some time to themselves to relax to gather their thoughts and prioritize what needs to get done. Making a plan of attack when many tasks need to be accomplished is the best way to get the job done; by making a list of priorities and getting the most important ones out of the way, stress is reduced as the list of tasks gets shorter.

In the end, communication is the key. If students are feeling stressed out, it is never a good idea to try to go it alone. Communicating with close friends is a great way to open the door for suggestions about how to deal with stress.

If stressors pass and feelings and symptoms of stress still exist, this can be a sign of a more serious problem like depression. Seeking professional help is the best way to go about handling a more serious situation.