Stress levels rise on campus

With dead week and finals coming around the corner, student stress levels are on the rise.

"This time of year is always extremely stressful as students begin to worry about exams, projects and other end-of-year concerns. Students...are [already] stressed about a spectrum of issues [during the year], including dealing with social relationships [and] deciding on a profession to pursue. Final exams and projects create more pressure and worry," said Ruperto Perez, director of the Counseling Center.

Students all over campus seemed to confirm this professional assessment.

"I often feel stressed late at night when I think about the tasks that I did not get around to completing during the day. Just thinking about the amount of work to be done tomorrow is enough to make me stressed," said Juleon Lewis, a second-year Management major, with his hand on his forehead.

"I feel stressed by all the projects and assignments I must complete. Any time studio assignments have an approaching deadline, you know that there is a lot of work ahead of you," said Moira Schneider, a third-year Architecture major.

Students revealed that stress can also come from being overbooked in too many clubs, organizations and other extracurriculars. "There are always so many activities occurring on Tech's campus that I want to participate in. It is extremely important that I manage my time," said Najma Shaikh, a second-year Industrial Engineering major who helped plan Tech Beautification Day.

According to Perez, however, stress is not always a bad thing. In fact, a certain amount of stress is helpful, motivating and forces productivity, a fact that has even been affirmed by students themselves.

"I definitely get more things done during a week that I have three tests instead of during the week where I have only one assignment because there is no time to waste," Shaikh said.

"Some students just function better with a certain amount of stress because it is energizing for them. The important thing is to recognize when a student's ability to cope is being tested. When this threshold is reached, then the stress being experienced has become a negative situation," Perez said.

When this happens over and over again, students may experience physical as well as mental problems. "Stress causes high blood pressure, headaches, muscle tension, difficulty breathing and serious feelings of anxiety," Perez explained. Students experiencing large amounts of stress may also begin to exhibit a lack of motivation and depression, feel trapped or confused and avoid socializing altogether by withdrawing or avoiding family and friends.

So how can Tech students cope with the stress they may experience during these last two weeks of school?

"I enjoy running around campus when I am feeling overwhelmed. I also allot time to rest in my bed, read my Bible and watch some anime on television, all of which are activities that I really enjoy," Lewis said.

Lewis also schedules his day hour-by-hour to track the tasks that need to be completed. "When I accomplish the things on my to-do list, my stress level goes down. Then, I usually take a break and relax with friends," he said.

"I de-stress by taking a break from work to clean and organize my things. It helps me to relax because they are productive activities that are relatively easy, versus watching television which doesn't accomplish anything. I also like to drink tea while I am working-it allows me to quit worrying and relaxes me but does not take too much time away from my studies," Schneider said.

Shaikh relieves stress by hanging out with friends and going to the CRC. "It's important to take a break every now and then and talk with friends, whether it's by hanging out after class or talking on the phone. I also make sure to eat and get an appropriate amount of sleep," Shaikh said.

Perez suggested that students should manage their time, maintain beneficial study habits, eat healthily, exercise, get six to eight hours of sleep and avoid the use of alcoholic or illegal substances. "If a student is feeling overwhelmed or stressed and needs help or support, he or she can always visit the Counseling Center," Perez said.

The Counseling Center also hosts many workshops throughout the year called "StressBusters" that teach students about the basics of stress, how it affects the body and ways to develop coping mechanisms.

"It is important to remember that this will all be over in two weeks. We all just have to avoid worrying, focus and get the work done," Schneider said.

To find more information on stress, visit the Counseling Center in the Student Services building or check out www.counseling.gatech.edu.