Published: May 3, 2017 By
Grad student Clare Bradley takes lunch break with her standard poodle

Graduate student Clare Bradley takes a lunch break outside with her standard poodle, Delilah.

Tips for managing stress

If you have an afternoon off:

If you have an hour free:

  • Exercise at the Rec or check out their Relaxation Stations.
  • Make yourself a fresh, home-cooked meal.
  • Take a nap.

If you have half an hour:

If you have 15 minutes between classes:

  • Eat a healthy snack.
  • Call a friend or family member.
  • Stretch. 

During finals week, most students are overwhelmed. All the added stress from classes, papers and exams makes finding time for self-care and stress relief difficult. No matter what you have going on in your life, though, it is important to step away from stress every once in awhile.

Stress relief and mental health care can take many forms. Although there isn’t one go-to approach for everyone, experts encourage students to try new methods until they find the best fit for them.

Stress can be a scary topic because it has the tendency to sneak up on students. If it is not taken seriously, stress can lead to deep anxiety or depression. Severe stress can also cause physical symptoms that make everyday tasks difficult.

Stressed-out students may experience impaired thinking skills, low energy, head and stomach aches, nausea, chest pain, ulcers, insomnia and an impaired immune system. Luckily, these problems can be avoided if students take the necessary precautions to handle their stress in a healthy manner.

According to the American Psychological Association, 46 percent of students who seek counseling or therapy do so because of school-induced anxiety. The National Alliance on Mental Illness revealed that 64 percent of college students who drop out of school do so over mental health concerns.

Mental health is an important topic that is too often overlooked. With mental illness, unlike a physiological illness, it is often difficult to spot the symptoms and get to the bottom of the issue.

For the busy students: Take a look at the list of opportunities above to help manage stress and take care of your mental wellbeing. No matter how much free time you have in your day, there is no excuse to let stress get the best of you.