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Stress Management |
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Attending college is all about experiencing new
things, dealing with changes and facing challenges. All
this can be exciting, but it can also result in a good
deal of stress.
- In fact, stress can be defined as an emotional,
intellectual and physical reaction to change or
demands.
- Stress is the way our bodies prepare
themselves to react to situations that are new -
threatening or otherwise.
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As a college student, you are facing changes
and challenges almost daily. Dealing with
roommates, keeping up with academic demands, and
maintaining a social life are just some of the
ways that being a student can be both very
exciting and very stressful. Dealing effectively
with stress while in college may be as important
as doing well academically or having a lot of
friends. In fact, if you don't cope with stress
well, being successful academically or having a
good social life may be down right impossible. |
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Common Symptoms of Stress |
- Crying more than usual
- Irritability
- Fidgety and restless
- Difficulty concentrating
- Problems sleeping
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- Feeling overly sensitive (touchy)
- Loss of appetite
- Increased appetite
- Fatigue
- Unusual physical complaints
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Top Stressors For Students |
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So what causes stress in University of Minnesota
students? According to the 2001 Student Health
Assessment Survey, 10.5% of University of Minnesota
students reported experiencing three or more stressors
in the past 12 months.
Top stressors for students include:
- Serious physical illness (15.4%)
- Death of someone close to you (14%)
- Termination of a long personal
relationship (14%)
- Excessive credit card debt (12.8%)
- Failing a class (8.2%)
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| Furthermore, tobacco users,
binger drinkers, and students who engage in
other drug use were found to have a higher
average of stressors than non-users. |
| Stress can also lead to bouts of
depression or anxiety in students. According to
the 2001 Student Health Assessment Survey, 28%
of students feel sad or depressed at least once
per week and 43.2% of students feel worried,
anxious, and nervous at least once a week. |
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