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Paying for College
Suzanne Shaffer
As a professional stress management coach, I work with students on challenges relating to establishing a new routine, meeting multiple deadlines, and managing time. These challenges are evergreen, but as the mental health crisis on our college campuses grows, with more students diagnosed all the time with anxiety and depression, I am seeing a different level of student stress.
“The number of things that our students are struggling with are a reflection of the campus cultures they come from and the social realities that we all deal with,” observes Gary Glass, Director of Counseling and Career Services at Oxford College at Emory University, in the podcast Beyond The Campus Counseling Center.
Countless outside factors can impact student well-being: Lingering effects of the pandemic, contentious national politics, fears about global warming and gun violence, the daily wear and tear of dealing with racism and other forms of discrimination and bias — and that’s just a partial list!
Whether or not they have a mental health diagnosis, increasing numbers of college kids report feeling scared, sad, unsafe, lonely, or helpless. Shockingly, a study of 12,000+ currently enrolled students found that 69% of those surveyed had considered leaving school because of emotional stress.
The good news: There are many things you can do as a college student to protect your emotional well-being during this time of collective stress.
The human stress response, an amazing mechanism for safety and survival, is activated when our brain perceives a threat. The confusing part: Our brains can’t decipher levels of threats. Feeling overwhelmed in college is registered in the brain the same as jumping out of the way of an oncoming car.
Some amounts of stress are necessary to study productively, maintain motivation and accomplish tasks, but the negative effects of stress can disrupt daily living and thriving. By understanding more about the science of stress and what is an actual versus a perceived threat, students can learn to effectively manage the pressures of college. They can become more aware of what aspects of college life (and life in the world at large) are intimidating and frightening and learn to relax and observe those thoughts. They can monitor distractions, seek balance in their life outside of class, and effectively manage time. All of these deactivate the stress response.
As you embark on a new semester, here are tried-and-true approaches to help you disrupt the naturally occurring stress response along with essential mental health tips.
Write it out, draw it, color it, mind map it, keep it visible. Include:
Keep a water bottle with you at all times. Reduce or eliminate sugar drinks, caffeine and alcohol — Gatorade, energy drinks, teas with added sugar, and sodas included.
Foods rich in vitamins B and C, iron and magnesium (such as oranges, broccoli, avocados, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, berries, grass-fed beef, salmon and sunflower seeds) are helpful in reducing the effects of stress and strengthening the nervous system. Magnesium also helps in the production of serotonin throughout the day.
Sleep helps recall, memory, focus and concentration. Aim for eight hours each night (no less than seven). Try not to nap during the day, though!
LEDs stimulate the brain so turn them off at least 30 minutes prior to sleep. Keep a writing pad beside your bed and before bedtime write down your day’s accomplishments and tomorrow’s to-do goals.
Establish and practice problem-solving skills (working through problems with logic, not emotion) and note your successes along the way. Acknowledge and eliminate perfectionist thinking. Allow yourself to fail; practice bouncing back. Look forward to change. Flexibly think. Look for the big picture when stressed.
I am thankful every day for the opportunity to go to college. I’m right where I need to be. With this comes tough times but I am tough enough and will be just fine.
I am on a journey and will embrace the valleys and the peaks. In four years, I will have grown exponentially and will contribute to society in ways I never imagined.
