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Hi people. Today's chapter is on Stress, and how to deal with
it. You may feel like
your life is going to be great when you get to college, and get to
start making all of
your own decisions. Well it is. But at some point, you may have
difficulty making
decisions, or you may make some poor choices, or you may just have
difficulty adjusting to
college life. If and when that happens, you will have stress, and
dealing with it in a
productive way (or even better, preventing it from happening at all)
can make all the
difference in the world. Today's chapter on stress management
is written by Dr. Mac
McCrory.
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At the time he wrote this,
Dr. Mac McCrory was a Spence Professor and Director of the
Oklahoma State University Wellness Center. He holds a Bachelors
Degree in Business (1971), a Masters Degree in Leisure Service
Administration (1978) and an Ed.D. in Health Science, all from
Oklahoma State University. He is a recognized expert in the
area of stress management. |
EASING THE STRESS OF COLLEGE LIFE
College life is full of new experiences and anxieties. It can be the
best of times and the
worst of times. Meeting new people, learning, and being on your own
are the best. Falling behind in class, pulling "all-nighters";
and final exams can be the worst.
Sometimes the best of times lead to the worst of times. Students who
spend too much time
meeting new people and "socializing" find themselves
skipping class, falling behind in assignments, and "bombing" exams. Developing
time management and study skills are valuable tools in easing the
stress of college.
Following are several ideas that will help in your college stress
reduction program.
First, and foremost, is getting enough rest. The basic health
guideline for sleep is 7-8
hours per night. Unfortunately, the average college student sleeps
significantly less than
that. Some of our student health surveys indicate that most college
students sleep less than 6 hours and many less than 4 hours per
night. And, you know you can't "pay
it back". If you average 4-6 hours during the week, you
can't sleep 12 on
Saturday and pay it back. In fact, sleeping more than 8 hours can
make you feel more
tired.
Another stress management
health tip is to eat regularly. Many college students skip
breakfast, or maybe go all day without eating. When your body is deprived of regular energy,
it makes up for it by
lowering your metabolism, or energy level. In other words,
skipping meals does not help you lose weight or stay awake. In fact,
it has the reverse affect.
The "quality" of food is also important. Snack foods
(chips, candy, fast foods,
etc.) aren't necessarily the most healthy. High salt foods can
cause excess water
retention and eventually lead to high blood pressure. High sugar
foods can cause low blood
sugar, or hypoglycemia; which is associated with dizziness,
tiredness, and fatigue. Well
balanced meals (like mom makes) and nutritious snacks, such as
fruit, popcorn, and bagels
are recommended.
Regular exercise is a necessary part of your stress
ease program. One of the most popular spots at Oklahoma State
University is the campus
recreation facility. Sports, games, and daily physical activity are
essential in helping you stay focused and sharp. Daily exercise breaks during
finals week are a
must, even if you're just taking a walk around campus to get
away from the study area for a few minutes.
Avoid or moderate all substance use. Alcohol and caffeine are the
most widely used and
abused substances by college students. Alcohol use certainly
does not contribute to
your ability to study and retain information. If you are going to
drink alcohol (and you
are legal), do so with a certain degree of intelligence. Drink only
moderate amounts. Make
sure you have a non-drinking designated driver. And, curtail your
alcohol use a few days
prior to major exams or projects. Nothing like a hang-over and a
chemistry final to turn you into a college drop out.
Caffeine is widely used, especially around exam time. A pot of
coffee and an "all-nighter"; still a fact of life at most colleges. But
excess amounts of
caffeine can lead to nervousness and forgetfulness. These are not
traits that you would
normally like to possess during an exam.
The best way to get ready for finals is to "get ready for finals". Don't
wait until finals week to study. If you do, then you will probably
not eat, not rest, not
exercise, and drink too much coffee. All told, you will probably not
do very well on
finals. The best recipe to ease the stress of college is: Adequate
class preparation,
plenty of rest, proper nutrition, daily physical activity, and
limited substances. College
is not just about learning in the classroom; it's learning how
to take care of
yourself.
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