Stress is good, as long as students can manage it correctly

Lurking in the backs of students' minds on a daily basis could be the demand to fit in a job with school, family issues, roommate issues and a plethora of other trappings.

And then there is the reason they are here: academics.

With spring break a thing of the past, students are entering a six and a half week marathon to the finals finish line.

Finals are often considered high-stress times for students with studying for exams and finishing projects on the agenda. The stress of these times may seem overwhelming at points, but there are ways to manage and reduce.

Putting all stressors in perspective is a start.

"Stress is not always a bad thing," said Dr. John Eggers, director of counseling and psychological services on campus. "It is often how we perceive it (stress) and respond to it that can make it adverse."

For students who acknowledge their anxiety during high-stress times, Eggers urges them to make things manageable on themselves.

"Set short-term goals for yourself and stick with just those," Eggers said. "You can do a lot by acknowledging a stressful time and breaking your stress down to manageable goals."

For academic stress, working on small parts of a large project until it is complete is a one way of going about it. But what about the stress found in work, relationships and other social settings?

"A main factor in managing stress is to maintain meaningful connections with friends and people close to you," Eggers said. "Spending time with friends is a great way to reduce stress."

Learning about stress and how to cope with it is essential in life and now is a great time to learn those coping methods.

"School isn't all about academics," Eggers said. "It has a lot to do with learning how to cope with stress."

Coping methods for stress are often broken down in to two groups: adaptive and maladaptive. The adaptive stress response simply means being able to cope with stress in a healthy and effective way.

Exercise is universally accepted as a healthy way to not only stay fit, but reduce stress as well. Exercise is said to distract you from stress because it is an action-based activity.

"One of the best forms of distraction is physical exercise," according to Bowdoin College's counseling services Web site. "It helps to do activities over which you have conscious control."

The danger of stress and coping occurs when a coping strategy is used but is not healthy. Alcohol is a common outlet, as is partying.

"Booze wrecks sleeping patterns, making it harder to concentrate," Eggers said. "High-risk drinking and partying could result in you missing class or doing poorly. The risk of negative consequences goes up."

Another poor choice in response to academic stress is the "all-nighter" - staying up throughout the night to study or work on projects.

"Pulling 'all-nighters' and not getting enough sleep aren't helpful to good health or good grades," said the Minnesota Office of Higher Education's Web site.

Being unable to cope effectively with stress can take a toll on the body.

"Physically it can weaken the immune response, making you more likely to get sick," Eggers said.

"It can also cause fatigue."

Psychologically, the effects may be seen more quickly and could affect decisions students make in their daily lives.

"You don't think as easily when you're stressed," Eggers said. "You develop tunnel vision because you're so worked up and overwhelmed."

There is one constant with stress prevention: a healthy lifestyle will lead to a stress-reduced life.

"Avoid excessive partying and hangovers that result from getting three hours of sleep after a party," Eggers said.

SCSU's Counseling and Psychological Services, located in Stewart Hall, offers individual counseling for students who feel overwhelmed with stress. They offer adaptive coping strategies and help for students working through stress.