Often time students take on many different activities. What they tend not to notice is that by taking on these different activities, they end up taking on too much. On top of extra curricular activities, students also try to balance school and sometimes even a job. As finals time rolls around, teachers are trying to cram in more and more last minute information, projects, quizzes and tests, causing the students at Oklahoma State University to become even more overwhelmed and stressed out.
It isn’t just OSU student who suffer from stress this time of year, everyone seems to get stressed out during the holiday season. Stress is defined as anything that takes a psychological of physical toll on your body. There are two types of stress one can experience. The first type is known as eustress and is a type of positive stress because it keeps us alert and motivated. Eustress can motivate a person to face challenges and drive them to solve problems. The second type of stress is distress, and is the one people notice themselves experiencing the most. Distress results when our bodies overreact to events that may lead to health problems later on if it is not taken care of properly.
College students suffering from stress often feel fatigued, and can experience acid reflux, hair loss, and many other health related problems. The most common side effect students experience when stressed out is getting physically ill due to the negative impact the stress has on their immune systems. There are five major causes of college related stress students can suffer from. The first is peer pressure, followed by competition, separation from ones family and friends at home, having large amounts of freedom and not knowing how to handle it, and also choosing a major or a career. Not only do college students have to deal with these five major causes, but also have to deal with the regular curves life throws at them, such as arguments with family back home or friends and roommates at their university. Anger and hostility are among one of the most common emotional reactions to negative life events, and in college, freshman are said to have the highest stress reaction to these negative events.
When stress is not taken care of, not only does it attack the immune system, but it can also contribute to life-threatening problems if it is not dealt with. Problems such as heart attack, stroke, depression and major infection are just a few of the health problems that can arise from stress. Stress is also linked to 6 leading causes of death – heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and even suicide.
Students tend to try and handle their stress on their own by saying, “I can solve my own problems.” One student was reported the have not even known there was counseling services provided at OSU, yet upon receiving the knowledge said he “wouldn’t want to pay for it.” Students on campus are unaware of the services provided and that they are free as well. Marketing Senior, Ryan Cunningham, was interviewed about counseling at OSU said, “I already know what’s wrong with me, why would I ask a stranger?” During our research, we found there are many counselors available on campus and can be reached at 744-5472.
Student’s who were uncomfortable talking to “strangers” about their stress were asked what other means they used in order to relieve their stress. Brittany Bartz, a junior design major said her favorite way to relieve stress was to mix up different activities she did in order to get her mind off of the stress she was having to deal with. “I like to run when I’m mad because of all the adrenaline. But when I have problems with family or friends, I’d rather do something like pilates or yoga.” After doing a little research, it was found there were many different classes offered at the Colvin center. The more strenuous and tension releasing classes found were cardio kickboxing, Zumba, spin class, body pump, abs classes, tae kwon do and many more. While the Colvin offers those intense classes, it also offers more relaxing classes such as yoga, deep water aerobics, dance classes, tai chi and Pilates.
The Colvin offers something not many students know about that can be easily bursared. There are 3 licensed massage therapists available, and offer Swedish, deep tissue, sports, shiatsu, trigger point and hot stone massages. For a half hour massage it’s $35, $55 for an hour and $80 for an hour and a half.
Rachel Potts, a student and instructor at the Colvin said her Pilates “focuses on breathing and stretching which is a great way to let out stress and clear your mind. If you’re looking for something a little more up temp, kickboxing is a great way to punch and kick out the stress of the day.” Potts often finds herself telling her students to “go for it” on the punching bag and to “get out all the frustration and tension from the day.” Eating healthy, receiving an adequate amount of sleep and exercise are just a few things Potts recommends students to do every day in order to stay a little less stress. Mostly she encourages her students to just take a little time out of each of their days and have to dedicate to themselves.
There are other ways students try to forget about their stress for a while. Some said they enjoy watching movies, taking themselves out of their own lives for a short while and involving themselves in a make believe character’s life; while others find relaxation in comfort foods such as a favorite family recipe. Most students suggested the best way to relax and get away from their stress was to just hang out with friends and laugh a little.
Within the media kit, the group decided to include a few resources students can use in order to relieve some of the stress they are soon to experience, if they aren’t already experiencing loads of stress with finals week approaching. Enclosed in the OSU themed De-stress kit is a stress ball to relive tension while studying for exams, a list of classes that are to be offered at the Colvin along with a schedule, a few recipes, a brochure on different ways students should try to deal with their stress, some information on the counseling services provided at OSU, and many more de-stressing tools.
Although distracting one’s self from all the stress is the best thing a person can do, one should also remember that a distraction is one thing, not a permanent fix. Eventually dealing with and learning to cope with stress in a suitable way in order to survive everything. Hopefully with these tips student will be more aware that being stressed out this time of year is not uncommon and that there is a plethora of ways to dealing with this from at home remedies to getting treated to a massage or even going and talking to someone about a more in depth way to handle those larger problems that tend to stress us out at the University Counseling Center.
