Survival Guide: Dealing with Stress in CollegeThe transition from high school to college is a major stepping stone in life. You separate yourself from the people you grew up with. You might move far from home. You learn to rely on yourself. You need to make new friends. You must adapt to your new environment. Ultimately, all aspects of college can be stressful. It's hard not to collapse under stress. Everyone faces stress. The main thing is to learn to control and minimize negative stressors. In order to deal with stressors, you must first understand what stress is. It is beneficial to understand your body, how it responds to stress, and what stresses you out. What is stress? The term “stress” is very broad. There is no specific definition of what constitutes a stressor; it varies for each person. What may be stressful for one student may be a relaxing feeling for another. For example, Student A may be terrified of public speaking. Just thinking about appearing in front of an audience stresses her out. On the other hand, Student B may enjoy speaking in front of people. Stress is a physical reaction to stressors, which may be someone or something that threatens your internal balance. Stress can be positive and negative. Stress is like a wake-up call; it's your body's way of telling you that you might be in trouble. If you feel threatened by an external stimulus, your body stimulates your fight or flight response. Your body will pump your adrenaline, increase your blood pressure, intensify your breathing, etc. Stress also serves as a wake-up call that makes you more alert and focused. If you have an essay due tomorrow morning, stress can push you to focus and finish... in the middle of a sheet of paper...... eat a timetable or use a planner. You must write down assignment due dates and exam dates. With so much to do, you could easily forget to do something. In your planner, you should prioritize what you need first. Is going to the movies with your friend tonight more important than the essay due at midnight? Could you accompany them another time? Part of prioritizing is asking yourself what is most important to complete. If you ever feel frustrated and stressed, pause what you are doing. As simple as these activities may seem, they can be very helpful when you are mentally torn. • Breathe deeply; it relieves some of the tension. This will allow you to think clearly without feeling all the pressures. • Leave your room. Take a break from work and visit the outdoors. Take a walk, get a breath of fresh air, or go jogging.