Stressing Out About Stress

Stress cartoon showing alternative methods for dealing with stress. Permission given by artist.

Other than stress there are very few ailments that are universal and unbiased of gender, age, or race. Because of its non-exclusively in who is affected by it, stress has become a leading concern. There are a variety of factors that can cause stress. Stress is also unique because it is a subjective. What one person may find stressful another may not share that same opinion. In other words, “stress is more than a response to environmental demands, but is also related to personal perceptions (Folkman, 2006). Although everyone is subject to experience stress, college students are one demographic that experience stress the most.

In the article, "The Impact of Stress on Academic Success in College Students," expert Selye defines stress as “a nonspecific response of the body to any demands made upon it” (2006). Primitively, stress is recognized in the body as a defense mechanism for when the body perceives it is in danger, it triggers the “fight or flight” reaction. The article, "Stress: Your Brain and Body" explains that when the brain senses a stressful situation it sends signals down the spinal cord to the adrenal glands which release the hormone adrenaline. The brain also sends signals to the hypothalamus which responds by stimulating the adrenal cortex, thereby releasing the stress hormone known as cortisol (2015). When stimulated by stress, the body is influenced cognitively, emotional, physically, and behaviorally. Some of the most common effects of stress include moodiness, feeling of being overwhelmed, memory problems, anxiety, headaches, loss of hunger, or increased hunger, and loss of sleep.

Some of the most common stress causing factors, specifically for college students, are relationships between significant others, relationships with roommates, change in environment (from parents home to college home), and most importantly from school work load. As a college student, the most motivational and controlling influences are deadlines. Students are under constant pressure to study for exams, turn in assignments on time, and get involved in extracurricular activities, all while still trying to experience the social aspect of college. As a result, students often have to pull “all-nighters” and sacrifice valuable hours of sleep just so they can accomplish everything they need. While that may be a temporary solution, stress is a vicious cycle. If the student stays awake all night to finish their assignment, they lose the stress of their homework, but then begin stressing about their lack of sleep. Often when students are stressed out to their capacity they become known as being “burnout." This term refers to the “emotional exhaustion which sometimes leads to ineffective professional behavior. . .  (Hall, 2006)”. When students take on too many responsibilities at once or procrastinate, especially during midterm or finals week, it can lead to them becoming burnout. Once a student has reached this point completing assignments becomes twice as difficult.

Although stress is virtually unavoidable, it is manageable. There are numerous recommendations for how to best deal with stress, but those too are subjective to the individual student. Time management is one of the most effective precautions to help avoid stress or to manage it. Taking a fifteen minute break doing something enjoyable or relaxing can make a detrimental difference in a student’s stress level.  So college students don’t stress out about stress, the key thing to remember is not to let stress keep you from achieving academic success.