According to the American Institute of Stress (AIS), 8 in 10 college students experience frequent stress. The overwhelming emotions are often caused by different factors, such as homesickness, socializing issues, or even a heavy workload.
Most stresses are fleeting, but long-term stress can cause various physical side effects, such as poor concentration, appetite changes, sleeping difficulties, and a weakened immune system.
Students mustn’t allow stress to determine their health, happiness, and grades. Instead, they must aim to take control of their emotions to make the most of the unique experience. Find out how to cope with college stress.
Connect with Your Loved Ones
It might feel helpful to connect with loved ones when stress strikes, as they could ease your homesickness or provide much-needed reassurance. Chatting with your parents, siblings, or friends back home via phone or video call could make you feel less lonely. Also, they could inspire you to step outside your social comfort zone or push yourself harder during a course.
Practice Self-Care
It is easy to make the wrong decisions for your health when you feel stressed. You might want to comfort yourself with food, alcohol, or a late night, but it could be the worst decision you make for your emotions and academic performance.
You’ll feel happier and healthier if you practice self-care throughout the next four years. For example, you must:
- Follow a healthy, balanced diet
- Experience six to eight hours of sleep per night
- Exercise for 20 minutes daily
- Take a break from studying to relax and de-stress
Get to the Root of Your Stress
Get to the root cause of your rising stress levels to identify the best solution. For example, if you struggle to fall asleep each night, you might need to decrease your consumption of caffeine or alcohol. If you feel lonely or homesick, you might need to expand your social circle and say “yes” to invitations.
Also, you must reflect on your course or college to ensure it is the right fit for your passion, personality, and mental health. If you don’t like a course, you could switch majors to alter your career path and lower your stress levels.
If you don’t like a college campus or its classes, consider transferring to another US college. Identify your chances of acceptance by learning about an institution’s application process. For instance, Tufts University college transfers requirements state students must have a minimum college GPA of 3.0 and a high school GPA of 3.0.
Improve Your Workload Management
Students can underestimate the physical and mental demands of a college course. If you feel stressed because of a heavy workload, you may need to make changes to your routine. For instance, you might need to choose a class schedule that provides time for relaxation and studying. Also, reach out to your professors if you feel swamped with assignments, as they could grant deadline extensions or extra support to help you pass a course without feeling stressed or anxious.
