Coping and managing stress as a college student
Midterm and finals season can be extremely stressful. Many students find themselves facing anxiety and depression as they struggle to study for these critical exams. Our campus offers counseling services for all students who may be feeling overwhelmed. You can find qualified counselors by visiting the Student and Educational Support Building, Suite 107.
If you need help dealing with stress, there are some things you can do to cope. For example, you can do this four square breathing exercise to help ground you. Start by finding a comfortable spot to sit or lay down. Close your eyes and picture something that brings you happiness or peace. Then take a slow, deep breath and hold it for 4 seconds. Exhale slowly. Wait four seconds and take the next, slow inhale. Do this four or five times in row and on the final exhale, push all the stress and anxiety away from you.
Another great grounding exercise is the color game. Take a moment to look for five green items in the room or area around you. Once you found them, look for four blue items. Continue by looking for three yellow, two red, and one white object. Take your time as you look for them. This will help ground you in the moment.
For those who are religious or spiritual, chanting and meditation help to center and ground people. As an Old Catholic Priest, when I am anxious I sit quietly with my eyes closed and chant “Ubi Caritas, et amor, Deus ibi est” which means “Where charity and love exists, there God is.” I may chant this 20-40 times in one sitting. At times, you may find the use of incense or fragrance sprays to help bring a calming effect. Frankincense as well as lavender have amazing calming effects upon the body and mind. I find that when I have finished with my chanting I am more relaxed, my heart rate is lower and my anxiety is almost completely gone.
There are also phrases that can be chanted from various other religions or philosophies as well. The Buddhist philosophy has been known to use the phrase “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” which can be loosely translated to mean “to dedicate oneself to the Mystical Law of the Lotus Sutra” or “Glory to the Dharma of the Lotus Sutra.” It is said rapidly while allowing your mind to become silent and distraction free.
These forms of chanting help one to essentially slow down their racing thoughts and find a peaceful moment.
For those who are not into sitting silently, you may find that exercise or organizing your dorm room may help to lower your stress level. Exercise has been known to increase the heart and respiration level bringing more blood and oxygen to the brain. This helps to promote better cognitive abilities while giving you and outlet for releasing stress and anxiety.
No matter which method you find works best for you, I hope that these suggestions help you cope with the stress that comes with our busy college life.
