Stress in College: What Causes it and How to Combat it

The article “Stress in College: What Causes it and How to Combat it” by Emily Driscoll addresses the issue of stress in colleges and how to cope with it. The article points out that in the modern-day colleges, stress has rapidly transpired as a result of the student’s daily routine. This calls for adjustments in time-management skills as well as checking on sleeping and eating habits since one is expected to be more self-sufficient and independent. College can be quite stressful for different people, many of who move from the social environment and support network that they were accustomed to, into a new life-setting that will see them meet a lot of new things (Driscoll pr.6). These include other fears on various pertinent issues that could increase stress levels of students. It also has much to do with perception of the daily state of affairs that occurs in life to further associate stress levels with what individuals believes in. Therefore, Stress can be seen as a self-motivated interaction between a person and the environment in relation to two-way relationships that operate via an intricate set of feedback processes. The article maintains that stress can affect all manner of students in colleges hence when under duress, proper steps should be undertaken in order to avert its sometimes elusive symptoms which can bring complications to ones mental, behavioral, emotional, physical, as well as cognitive functioning.

In my opinion, i think that our own choices ultimately defines our identity and we should be in control of how we choose to respond to regardless of the familiar humiliation and degradation that some might experience while in college and despite the appalling environment they live in. Such circumstances should not change us on the inside unless we consent to it since no one has the authority and power to make anyone respond in a particular way on the inside unless we opt to react that way. Each of us solely has the freedom to forge his or her opinion, ideas, choices and attitudes. Our choice of attitude is quite significant in the daily decision making and is more imperative than one’s education, position, successes or failures, bankroll, or even past events and circumstances. To some degree, our attitudes and reactions are consequential from the stress-produced emotions, which are controllable. The relevance of this is seen from the article, which insists on finding ways to relieve stress before it becomes chronic.

The article is relevant to class since it not only points out the biggest challenge faced by college students but also offers ways to cope with it. One of the most important way to cope with stress is by participating in recreational events and programs in order to turn away and curb the thoughts on painful events and aggravations. Students are advised to learn to focus on events and people that bring joy, peace, love, and happiness in their life and build up an attitude of gratitude and appreciation towards these events and people. They should also focus on all the good things in life essential to forget the traumas or negative events that have happened while remaining optimistic about the future. Students can learn how to cope with depression, hostility, fear, guilt, jealousy, worry, and any other emotional circumstances known to generate physical reactions. The article shows that prolonged stress can cause physiological and physical problems and in some cases, reaction to stress can prove fatal. Since we can decide on what to believe or think, we possess the aptitude on how we can respond to the exigent events and circumstances in our daily lives. So, we can adapt and learn on how to curb the stress response and deal with it. However, when we learn to negotiate the anxieties in our environment, we can remain imperturbable with its interactions. By attending college counseling programs, questioning and reflecting upon our own attitudes, which may prove to be an important step towards living a healthy life (Palmer & Angela 9).

Works Cited

Driscoll, Emily. “Stress in College: What Causes it and How to Combat it.” Fox Business, March, 2011. Web. July 20, 2011. <http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal- finance/2011/03/31/stress-college-causes-combat/>

Palmer, Stephen and Angela Puri. Coping with stress at university: a survival guide. London: SAGE, 2006. Print.