Ever since I first stepped foot on Ball State University's campus in August of 1998, I have had nights where I just didn't sleep very well. This usually happens the night before a big exam, one of those exams that make up about 50 percent of the final grade.
The health experts refer to it as stress-induced insomnia. I name it as one of the main reasons I haven't done as well in college as I could have. After all, getting three hours of sleep before that big algebra exam can lead to a very low score.
Make no mistake, college is the breeding ground for stress, especially at this time of year. Midterms are being handed out in every class and you feel as if you are being spread way too thin.
It's interesting to note that college was once thought of as a time for partying and freedom, and no doubt there's still plenty of that to go around. Now, however, these college years have become heavy with a level of stress comparable to working for Donald Trump on "The Apprentice." If you do one thing wrong, in your mind you can hear those two words that have now become Trump's slogan: "You're fired!"
In all honesty, a little stress is good and can actually make us more productive. That added stimulation is usually all we need to turn that research paper in on time; too much, however, can make us sick.
The best way to bar off stress is to be able to recognize the symptoms early. These symptoms include: headaches, nausea, rapid breathing, tense muscles, anxiety, mood swings, decrease in focus, lack of concentration and feeling sad or depressed.
Freshmen have a great number of things to be stressed about. A recent study at UCLA cited that 30.2 percent of freshmen surveyed reported feeling stressed and "frequently overwhelmed" by everything they have to do. There's a lot to be said about that first year of college being a stressful one.
I remember my first year. I came from a small town, so the number of students milling about was a little daunting. The huge buildings were a little frightening - how was I supposed to remember all these buildings?
I know that getting into the swing of things can be very difficult, to say the least.
Being responsible for yourself is a challenging goal when you are so used to having your parents on your case about getting to school on time and finishing your homework.
And every college student wants to be involved with something in order to further his or her education or just to have fun. There's a lot of new opportunities out there, and you need to be able to fight stress so you can partake of all life has to offer.
Still, by the time we're seniors, there is an entirely new set of life-changing concerns.
How exactly do you know when to begin looking for a job? Or sending out resumes? Where do you want to live after you graduate? What kind of job are you interested in, after all that training and education? Will you end up working for Starbucks getting paid six dollars an hour? There are many questions and many worries concerning the future that we will all have to eventually pay attention to and inevitably stress over.
All of this is to say that it's realistic to state that college students have stress. There's no denying that fact; however, you can avoid unnecessary stress if you learn to manage your time well.
Procrastination is, after all, a major cause of stress. Being rushed to get things done can lead to an anxiety attack if you are not careful.
In the end, though, college is what you make out of it. If you set out to stay focused and relaxed, then no matter what comes your way, you will have a better chance of succeeding.
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