by Hailey Sandhu, Head Writer It is that time again, when we get a fresh start to a new year and a new semester! This is an opportunity for growth, new ideas and improvement! Unfortunately, as it is a time for new beginnings and journeys, we continue to deal with stress and potential stressors that the new year and semester may bring. Maybe it’s stress from a new job, keeping up with academics and graduation, family, and friends, and of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. Though we may not be able to completely eliminate stress from our daily lives, we can defiantly do our best to understand and cope with it! What is stress, and why do we experience it? Have you ever had the feeling of being very overwhelmed and unable to successfully deal with mental of emotional pressure? That is stress! Sometimes we may not know the exact reason for stress, but it is our bodies’ response to any pressure, that is often triggered when we feel threatened, like we have no control over a situation, or when we try something new (Mental Health Foundation, 2011). You may have heard, when talking about stress, about our fight or flight response. This is what happens when the body deals with stress which is produced by our stress hormones (Mental Health Foundation, 2011). With all of that being said, it is so important that we adopt coping mechanisms or techniques so that we can deal with stress. It is also important to keep in mind that not all stress is bad! Stress can be used to motivate us, such as a deadline for an assignment coming up. The stress produced can really push you to finish that assignment on time so that you can get full marks. The importance of coping Feeling of stress may leave us feeling anxious, scared, angry, sad, irritable, frustrated, and depressed (Mental Health Foundation, 2011), which can take a big toll on our well-being and relationship with others. With a lack of coping, we may act out towards others, such as family and friends, as well as continuing to make yourself feel worse. So, what can we do to help ourselves deal with stress? Like mentioned, we cannot completely eliminate stress, so let's try to adopt some skills and thinking that can help ourselves feel less overwhelmed. Listen to your body It is crucial to take a moment and listen to what your body and mind are telling you. If you are feeling any physical or emotional signs as mentioned, do not ignore them. Take a moment to consider what pressure you may be feeling from school, work, family or friends, and the environment. Set a plan and prioritize Once you have addressed the root of what is making you overwhelmed, or if you already know, it is time to prioritize. If your semester is heavy, and you are overwhelmed with assignments, take the time schedule your assignments. Think about how much a test or assignment worth, and plan how much time you may need to complete it. Prioritize your time to what you believe is most important and what will take the most amount of time. Practice mindfulness Maybe this is the year to focus on yourself! Be mindful and be kind to yourself. When we are stressed, we often have negative thoughts, out of frustration. It is so important that you are not too hard on yourself. Set goals that you know are attainable. Goals can be small, such as finishing everything on your daily checklist, that way you can feel accomplished and proud that you stuck with what you had to for the day. Coping with COVID-19 as a student: Find different ways to focus Right now, many university students are stuck feeling unmotivated. Our daily routines have changed, such as getting out to the gym or library/coffee study dates. That being said, try to make a new routine for the time being that can help you feel reengaged (American Psychological Association, n.d.). Doing school from home stops us from different settings that we once had separated. Try to move around if you have the space, doing schoolwork in different areas, so that you have a room that can be a space for relaxation or a stress-free zone. Focus on things you can control I know it is easier said than done, but worrying what is to come, is something we cannot control. We can only control our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviours (American Psychological Association, n.d.). The future is uncertain, so instead of worrying, try and focus on solving immediate problems. Focus on a new routine, or how you can make time for 20 minutes of exercise today. If we focus on the now, we can help reduce the feelings of stress. From one student to another It is not easy to deal with life stressors, believe me - I spend most of my time feeling stressed. But, I have been learning how to cope better, which I believe you can as well. It is all right if the guide provided does not necessarily work for you, as we are all different and our bodies react to stress differently. That is why I encourage you to talk to a friend about it. I have learned so much from others on ways to cope and that others may be experiencing the same thing. By adopting some of these foundations, we can do our best to bring on a positive and satisfying new year and semester! Hailey is an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph, and a Head Writer on GetPsyched! Are you interested in submitting a post to GetPsyched? Make sure you fill out our submission form and send it back to us so we can showcase your ideas! Edited by Nida Ansari. References
Stress. Mental Health Foundation. (2021, November 11). https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/stress American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Coping with covid-19-related stress as a student. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/student-stress#:~:text=Focus%20on%20things%20you%20can,control%20what%20other%20people%20do.
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