As students at The University of Memphis happily count down the weeks of school, they count up the number of things they have to do before the end of the semester. Worries about papers, projects and tests consume the minds of many college students as they look over their calendars.
“I have so much to do in every class,” said Kelly Person, a senior majoring in psychology.
Many students are looking for ways to relieve stress and still get all their assignments done. There are several things students can do to lower stress, according to some faculty member at The U of M.
Sharon Van Oteghen, an HMSE professor with expertise in stress management, worked on a stress study over several semesters and came up with some helpful hints on controlling stress.
Van Oteghen collected information from 149 students in several different age groups. The study involved students ranging in ages from 18 to 52.
The information Van Oteghen collected indicated that college students from every age group experience stress. The level of stress seems to increase with the age of the student, but there are common stresses.
“All age groups experience high levels of stress—balancing work, school and time with family and friends,” said Van Oteghen.
Students at The U of M want to get good grades, but have little time to study and prepare for class, according to Van Oteghen.
“Many students are working, both full-time and part-time,” said Van Oteghen. “Students are unable to attend or leave classes early to get to work.” Money continues to be a huge stress factor for many students, according to Van Oteghen. Students have to worry about mortgage payments, credit card bills and car notes.
“I have to make enough money to pay rent and enjoy life,” said Cherisse Mathias, a junior majoring in elementary education.
“I know some students couldn’t go to school at all, if they didn’t work,” said Van Oteghen
As the semester comes to end, students can feel more pressure because of the impact an assignment may have on their overall grade in the class.
“If a student isn’t doing so well in a class, the final exam or paper can make a real difference,” said Van Oteghen.
The best way to overcome this stress is to better manage your time, according to Van Oteghen. Keeping up through the entire semester will make classes stay easier as the semester progresses.
“Take your classes seriously from the beginning and it’s not so bad at the end,” said Van Oteghen.
When experiencing stress, students come up with many different ways cope. Many students do things they enjoy in order to try not to think about all the stressful things in their lives.
“I like to spend time vegging out in front of the television when I am stressed,” said Andrienne Ward. Many students listen to music, watch television, exercise, read or spend time with family and friends to overcome stress, according to Van Oteghen. More spiritual students turn to praying, reading the Bible and meditation.
“I take a minute to think things through and ask God for a little help in managing my time,” said Mathias.
Sports is another way of relieving stress for many college students.
Organized recreation on a regular basis is one of the best ways to release stress, according to Van Oteghen.
“I like a good game of basketball, when I am stressed out,” said Frank Renner, a junior with a undecided major.
One basic thing students can do to lower stress is staying healthy, according to Jacqueline DeFouw, director of the Student Health Center. Students who are healthy can better focus on their studies, she said.
“If I could keep myself feeling good, I would get so much more accomplished,” said Person.
