STRESS!?? What stressssss??
By Hayley Jensen
Take a look outside. Chances are the sky is blue, the Quad is filling with students eager to soak in greatly missed rays of sun. This is just one more reminder that the semester is coming to an end bringing freedom with it. However, the emergence of flip-flops also signals that finals are just around the corner.
April is National Stress Awareness Month and appropriately so, just as students across the nation and importantly at Utah State, prepare for final examinations. The University provides many resource for students to help them not only understand what stress is, but how to cope with it and prevent it.
The Student Wellness Center, located at 850 E. 1200 N. just north of Romney Stadium, offers support services and education to students, often free of charge. "The problem with stress is that it can just build from one event to another. We provide information so students can prevent foundations of stress that can lead to perhaps more serious health problems," stated Jim Davis, director of the Wellness Center.
Stress is when your body reacts as if it were under attack. Stress can be both physical, such as illness, or mental such as marriage, a job or say finals. When we are stressed, hormone levels in the body increase and can contribute to high blood-pressure and other health concerns. To counteract effects of stress students can use resources such as "The USU Student Body," informational fliers provided free-of charge online and at the Wellness Center on subjects ranging from depression to a sprained ankle.
According to the "USU Student Body," learning to relax will help individuals each day, especially during final exams. Some suggestions include:
-Breathing Exercises
-Physical Activity
-Eliminating negative thoughts
-Thinking positively
If stress persists, the guide suggests learning relaxation techniques or therapy, anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication or Assertiveness Training.
Besides documents and general information, students can make an appointment to ask any questions, talk about health concerns or even see a massage therapist.
If test-taking has you in a bind, the Academic Resource Center in the Taggart Student Center, con provide test-taking strategies, stress- relief information and free-tutoring.
Test anxiety is worry or fear caused by having to take tests, and most students feel some level of anxiety in testing situations. However, for some students, test anxiety is so intense that it negatively affects their academic success, according to the ARC website. Students can take a course with individualized testing to help them cope and ultimately do well on their exams. Debi Jensen, a Learning Specialist for the ARC stated, "Finals are not easy. Preparing early, avoiding late-night cramming and getting enough rest will really make finals week a rewarding experience."
What do you think? Too STRESSED to Comment?
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3 comments:
I'm glad you included the wellness center and its location in your article. Very good idea!
good job, thanks for the ideas!
Good story, I think the general student population will really like this! I would only change the beginning. If the article is about stress maybe you should start out with a scenario of pulling an all-nighter and unable to concentrate instead of beginning with the sun and how nice it is outside, it just doesn't seem that stressful.
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