Stress Management
Stress can be a terrible block to student success. Symptoms may show up as physical, mental or social. Your behavior may change for no reason. An increased use of alcohol or drugs may signal stress. Feelings of hopelessness and discouragement may also manifest when under stress.

In order to manage stress, you must analyze the situations, people and happenings that make demands on your life. Learn to recognize stressors before they happen. It is good to know that having a test during a week a term paper is due will put you under stress. You can prepare for the situation. Time management is an important component in managing stress. If you have your calendar and your list on the calendar prioritized, it will help you to cope with stress.

One way to manage stress is to be organized. Analyze your time. Get everything together that you need to accomplish a task. Make sure that the important things are prioritized. If smaller things have to be let go, do it.
See if you can get control of your environment. See who or what is controlling you, and if you can change it, do so. Get out of the situation for a day or two, if necessary.

Give yourself positive feedback. Make sure that your inner dialog is positive and uplifting. Do not be too hard on yourself. Let yourself know how well you are coping with the situation. Take care of yourself. Get enough sleep, usually seven to eight hours a night. Take breaks while you study. Get up and walk around. Get some exercise. Make sure that you eat correctly. Watch your caffeine; it can aggravate stress. Be careful about how much sugar and fat you eat and monitor your alcohol consumption. Avoid escaping stress by drinking or taking medication.

Learn how to relax. You do not have to be busy every minute, even if you have things to do. Learn how to recharge yourself. Sometimes it helps to relieve stress if you do something for others. Do something you enjoy to get your mind off the stressor.

Learn to recognize stress through your body signals. Realize that a lot of stress may lead to more serious medical problems. Don’t isolate yourself. If you are under a lot of stress, it may help to talk with someone about your problem. This can be a friend, a family member or a mentor. If the stress persists and you cannot get beyond it, it may be time to seek help through the counseling center at your school. Remember that stress affects everyone in different ways. Do not be afraid to ask for help.

-Not Me