How to Manage Stress as a Student: The Ultimate Guide

What Pressures Do Students Face

Academic Pressure

Contrary to what students imagine before entering university, college students generally face an overwhelming academic workload. University courses are numerous and highly specialized, and challenging subjects like advanced mathematics become a nightmare for some students. For students with average academic performance, passing every exam during college is no easy task. A single slip-up can lead to failing a course or even having to retake it, potentially preventing graduation.

Social Pressure

Due to their life experiences and upbringing, some college students experience social difficulties. University is essentially a small society, and a lack of social interaction can create significant challenges. Students with poor social skills struggle to build rapport and truly integrate into the group, often feeling isolated and frustrated.

Employment Pressure

Employment is crucial for every college student and every family. Competition in the job market is unprecedentedly fierce. Some students face numerous strong competitors when searching for jobs, leading to a lack of confidence and anxiety.

Financial Pressure

For college students from disadvantaged families, financial issues are a significant source of psychological stress. Some struggling students develop a sense of inferiority due to the stark contrast between their daily lives and financial constraints. These financial constraints compel them to manage their expenses while juggling a heavy workload constantly. Some even have to work part-time to earn tuition and living expenses.

Emotional Pressure

Dating is a common experience for most college students. The university environment provides excellent social opportunities, free from constraints and interference from others, and allows for a degree of autonomy in decision-making. However, some students, due to unclear self-perception or challenges in their emotional values, are unable to properly understand and address issues that arise during relationships, leading to emotional problems.

Symptoms of Excessive Student Stress

1. Decreased Immunity

Prolonged periods of stress can affect both the cardiovascular and blood systems, impacting the immune system and leading to problems such as insomnia, loss of appetite, and susceptibility to colds.

2. Difficulty Concentrating

College students are more specialized, and the intensity of their studies is often higher than in high school. Academic pressure is a major stressor for college students. Students must maintain intense focus during lectures and study. Excessive stress can lead to anxiety and depression, hindering their ability to fully engage in their studies and resulting in poor learning efficiency.

3. Cognitive Disorder

Many students, often praised by their parents and teachers, have developed a sense of superiority. After entering university, they struggle to adapt to the new environment. Comparing themselves to their equally accomplished classmates can lead to self-doubt and a sense of loss. Students who leave their established social circles and haven't yet fully established new ones can easily withdraw into themselves and become depressed.

How to Manage Stress

1. Make a Plan

Creating a sound study plan is an important step in alleviating anxiety. Break down your big goals into smaller ones. For example, divide your course review by chapter and complete a portion each day. This way, each small goal you complete will give you a sense of accomplishment, which will reduce your anxiety. Keep your plan flexible; avoid overly tight schedules and allow for adequate rest time.

2. Change Your Study Methods

Changing your study methods can also reduce anxiety. If rote memorization isn't working, try methods like comprehension and mind mapping. Also, discuss your study experiences with classmates; you'll find that everyone has similar challenges and can gain inspiration from them.

3. Learn to Relax

Don't let studying take up all of your time. Set aside some time each day for exercise, like running on the playground or playing ball, to relieve stress. You can also listen to music or watch relaxing movies to soothe your nerves. When you feel anxious, try taking a few deep breaths to calm your nerves.

4. Participate in Group Activities

The school provides many opportunities for students to develop their skills. Students who are not sociable should participate in more activities, overcome their fears, and actively participate. Over time, their communication and interpersonal skills will significantly improve.

5. Understanding Anxiety

First, it is important to understand anxiety correctly. Anxiety is not entirely a bad thing. Moderate anxiety can be a driving force for learning and motivate us to take positive action. However, when anxiety becomes excessive and interferes with our normal studies and daily life, adjustments are necessary. For example, many students become anxious when faced with thick professional textbooks and a packed schedule. This is because they are putting too much pressure on themselves. We must understand that learning is a gradual process and cannot be achieved overnight.

6. Seek Help and Support

College students can seek help and support from teachers, counselors, classmates, or counselors. They can share their difficulties and stress and receive appropriate advice and guidance.

7. Maintain Physical and Mental Health

College students should prioritize their physical and mental health, maintain a good work and rest schedule, get adequate exercise and rest, maintain a positive and optimistic attitude, and reduce the pressure of studying.

8. Cultivate Interests and Hobbies

College students can cultivate their own interests and hobbies, participate in club activities, volunteer activities, etc., to release stress, regulate emotions, and keep a happy mood.

Common Psychological Problems Among College Students

Adjustment Disorders

Faced with significant changes in life and environment, these individuals experience short-term, mild states of distress and mood disorders, including anxiety, nervousness, mild depression, self-blame, helplessness, and insomnia. Some individuals also experience truancy, gaming addiction, smoking, drinking, and fighting.

Social Phobias

Shyness and uneasiness in social situations, fear of being scrutinized, fear of speaking, and social withdrawal. In extreme cases, this can lead to social isolation.

Anxiety Disorders

Frequent excessive anxiety, excessive worry and anxiety, restlessness, headaches, palpitations, shortness of breath, diarrhea, and frequent urination.

Depressive Disorders

Significant and persistent low mood with no apparent cause, loss of interest and energy, fatigue, low self-esteem, pessimism, and a sense of uselessness, helplessness, and hopelessness. These symptoms can also include decreased mental capacity, reduced activity, poor appetite, and insomnia. Severe cases can lead to suicidal thoughts and behavior.

Eating Disorders

These primarily fall into two categories. Anorexia patients constantly feel they are too fat and fear gaining weight. They intentionally maintain a low weight through dieting, excessive exercise, and the use of diet pills. This can lead to significant emaciation, delayed growth, and endocrine disorders. Bulimia patients experience recurring, impulsive episodes of binge eating, followed by periods of fasting, excessive exercise, vomiting, and substance abuse due to a fear of gaining weight.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Uncontrollable thoughts and impulses, such as a constant fear of dirt, repeated handwashing, constant anxiety about safety, repetitive checking of door locks and windows, and repetitive recollections. These thoughts may be unnecessary, yet uncontrollable, causing significant distress.

Major Mental Disorders

Severe mental disorders, such as manic episodes and schizophrenia, can develop in young adults. Mania is characterized by excessive euphoria or irritability, excessive talkativeness, grandiose statements, a desire for grandiose achievements, and a constant rush, but these often start well but end badly. The disorder is also characterized by poor sleep, increased libido and appetite, and sometimes hallucinations and delusions. Schizophrenia usually begins in young and middle-aged people and manifests itself in various forms, including auditory hallucinations, delusions of reference, delusions of persecution, and incoherent emotional responses.

Final Thoughts

If you're feeling overwhelmed and struggling to manage yourself, seek help from a counselor or a professional doctor. Don't let the pressures of life squeeze out your joy: No matter what happened yesterday, no matter how helpless or bitter it was, it's in the past, it won't come back, and it can't be changed. But tomorrow will arrive as promised.