College is an opportunity that those of us able to attend are grateful to have. On the other hand, college is also one of the most stressful time of our lives.
Trying to balance homework, class, family life, friends, and sometimes a job all at once can take a toll on even the strongest of people. Stress becomes an unwelcome partner to our lives, and it begins to build until it sometimes completely overwhelms us.
Self-care in college is essential to alleviating some of the turmoil that creeps into the lives of students.
College can be a tough and bumpy road to navigate if we are not taking care of ourselves regularly and dedicating time to banishing the negativity that overwhelms us. Our anxiety can get the best of us, and if it does, we risk missing out on an education.
Long term, our overall health is affected and we risk missing out on a happy life when we don’t manage stress.
In this article, we’ll discuss what stress is, its causes and effects, and how to recognize signs of mounting stress.
Know how to practice self-care tips as college students to refresh ourselves and give ourselves the boost we need to keep going in a positive manner.
What is Stress?
Hans Selye, recognized by psychologists as the father of stress research, defined stress as “the nonspecific response of the body to any demand”. This is a very generalized way to describe stress, but it’s true.
Our brain tells us that it is being overworked and struggling, and we act accordingly to that message. We can attempt to maintain a status quo, but without the support we need, our feelings of being overwhelmed can consume us.
We often get stressed if we are asked to do something when we’ve already got a busy schedule.
When we have an important deadline coming up and time is running out, we get stressed. When we have an argument or a breakup with a significant other or friend, we get stressed.
Life demands that we deal with certain situations that we are unprepared for, and when this happens, our bodies, minds, and emotions react. This is most certainly true of college students.
They are under more stress than most people have experienced up to that point in their lives, and coping with it can prove difficult and seem downright impossible sometimes.
What Causes Stress?
Many factors contribute to stress. One person may find a situation stressful, while another does not. The following are general situations that cause most people stress:
1. Heavy Academic Workload
College professors only concern themselves with the classes they teach. They often tack on a lot of reading, writing, and homework to go along with classroom lectures.
They don’t worry about or even consider that other professors are doing the same. Before you know it, you have twelve hours’ worth of homework, with only eight hours left in a day.
A heavy college workload can cause a lot of stress.
We have to figure out how to get everything done without compromising the quality of our work. We must prioritize certain assignments that are weighted or crucial to our passing the course or obtaining the degree.
When we are faced with a lot of academic work to do, we can feel overwhelmed, which can cause us to freeze up and waste time, speed through it, and risk losing the quality of work, or give up altogether and suffer the consequences of failure.
2. Jobs Outside of School
Many college students have to work jobs outside of their educational careers.
They have to pay bills and buy food and school supplies. Going to college and working a part-time or full-time job can stress out a person very quickly.
Classes on campus can run over their allotted time, putting employees in a rush to get to work. Work can leave us feeling physically and mentally drained, leaving us no energy or time for homework or studying.
Sometimes just having to find a job while in college can lead to stress. Many employers refuse to work around the schedule of a student. Finding a job that has flexible hours often means sacrificing decent pay.
The job hunt in and of itself can be tedious. When we do find employment, the anxiety of starting a new job while attending classes can lead to additional stress.
3. Relationships
Maintaining a relationship with a significant other is a balancing act when you are a college student. It’s hard to spend quality time together when you have to be on campus during the week.
Evenings and weekends are often dedicated to homework and study rather than dates or outings.
This requires patience and understanding from both people in the relationship. The stress of working together and trying not to hurt the other person or make them feel unloved or underappreciated can be difficult to deal with.
We also tend to take our stress out on our loved ones because we feel safe and comfortable venting to them. This sort of behavior is healthy but can leave our partner feeling overwhelmed.
4. Money
A large percentage of college students struggle financially.
College is expensive, even with scholarships. Student loans put many college attendees into debt. College textbooks are costly, and there are also lab fees for some courses.
Students must still pay for food, gas for their cars or fees for public transportation, and other bills. Going home to see family for holidays and special occasions can also be financially-draining.
Trying to figure out how to make money to afford school, essentials, and bills creates an amount of stress that nearly all college students struggle to manage.
The Effects of Stress
Stress manifests itself in different ways for each of us, and it can take a toll on our physical, mental, and emotional health. The following are some of the effects of stress on our lives:
- Trouble sleeping and/or insomnia
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Increase in blood pressure
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Loss of motivation
- Trouble concentrating
- Strained relationships
- Feelings of isolation
- Loss of friends
These are just some of the ways in which stress can affect us. It touches each of us differently and can be difficult to manage. Once we start to notice the effects of stress, we can quickly get overwhelmed.
At that point, many of us tend to try to alleviate the symptoms rather than the cause, and we end up in a vicious cycle of damage control rather than actual problem-solving.
How to Reduce Stress And Practice Self-Care in College
Self-care is exactly what it sounds like, taking the time to take care of yourself. We should all make time in our lives to focus on ourselves and our well-being.
Self care strategies can look different for each individual, but the idea is the same for everyone, as is the goal. Once you recognize that you are under a load of stress, you can make the necessary changes to relieve it.
Self-care, especially for the college student, is of utmost importance. The following are some ways to employ self-care to reduce the amount and the effects of stress in your life.
1. Better Sleep Habits
Most of us don’t get enough sleep.
We go to school, work all day, come home, do our homework and household chores, and stay up far too late trying to unwind. While we may feel a degree of relaxation when we do this, we’re not actually doing ourselves any favors.
When we stay up to watch TV or play on our phones, we deprive ourselves of the rest we need to start the next day with positive energy. We wake up tired the next morning and already drained.
Getting a solid eight hours of good sleep each night is essential to reducing the stress in our lives and maintaining our physical and mental health.
Maintaining a good sleeping habit can create a strong foundation of self-care and improve our health and general wellness.
2. Exercise
If you’re used to driving everywhere, try walking to places that are within a reasonable distance to relieve stress.
Get outside and move around. Park in the back of the parking lot when you run errands and make yourself walk to the doors of the store.
Join a gym if you can. Take a dance class if you have the time and money for it.
Do yoga or pilates. Practice deep breathing.
Practice meditation and relaxation techniques to be in tune to your inner self.
Exercises also make you feel better emotionally and mentally. Physical activities get your body moving, which boosts your metabolism, makes your heart healthier, gets your blood moving, and enriches your oxygen.
Take a friend or family member with you. This way, you’re both benefiting from exercise, as well as spending time together.
3. Change your Diet
Fast food and foods packed with preservatives are quick, cheap, and easy to consume, but they are terrible for you.
While these are okay to consume in small amounts, and on rare occasions, most college students gravitate towards them. Nutritious food costs more, but if you learn to prepare it yourself, you will spend less than you would going out to eat.
Learning to cook with nutritious, healthy foods can also be a new hobby, and hobbies are a great way to distract yourself from your troubles and relieve stress in your life.
4. Seek Counseling
Sometimes what we really need is someone professional to hear us. We need human interaction and someone in our lives who can understand us. It is paramount to our mental health.
College life is busy and fast-paced and can leave us feeling left behind. We feel like we are constantly playing catch-up. Sometimes we need the help and intervention of a mental health professional or a trusted friend.
Counseling and therapy are wonderful tools of self-care.
Most universities and college campuses have counselors available to college students. Counselors and therapists can teach college students healthy coping mechanisms to conquer their stress and stay on top of it.
They can help you to identify what stresses you out, how to recognize tension, and how to effectively deal with it.
Prioritize self care
Self-care for the college student should be as routine and habitual as going to class, work, or anything else we prioritize. Putting healthy routines into practice and focusing on the positives in our lives can make all the difference.
Practice deep breathing to begin a self-care a day. Continue on to other activities that are good for your physical health and mental well being. Doing so can pull us out of a stressful mindset and give us a fresh take on our issues.
We are able to handle stress on a daily basis when we practice self-care – leading to personal and academic success.
