Introduction and Problem Statement
There is sample evidence that chronic stress is a companion to college life. Student stress can interfere with learning (acquisition, application, and processing of knowledge), affecting academic performance. Academic difficulties, in turn, also create discomfort, leading to increased overall stress. Some researchers have also found problems with finances, housing, safety, and weight among college students (Morgan 276). The student must overcome the difficulties of the transition period, master new roles and change old ones, which can also lead to stress.
The problem of stress is complex and multifaceted that should be regulated to ensure an effective learning process. This is the task of the students themselves and their teachers, psychologist, and social educators. The primary goal is to reduce or prevent stressful rection rather than to deal with its consequences (Morgan 277). However, since it is impossible to eliminate all the sources of negative emotions, the solution is to focus on strategies that help to enhance students’ psychological sustainability. This paper aims to investigate stress management practices for college students to address the issue.
Solution
In the science of stress management, there are a number of practices aimed at strengthening the mental health of the student, thus improving their response to potentially stressful events. Morgan (283) describes the following instruments as the ones that has proved their efficiency:
- Yoga practices. All kinds of breathing and mindfulness exercises were established to greatly contribute to the ability of coping with negative emotions and overcome stressful situations more calmly. Yoga being more than just a short stretching session combines “relaxation, proper exercise, proper breathing, proper diet, positive thinking, and meditation” (Morgan 283). All of these favorably influence mental state of students by providing essential elements of recovery and control over body and thoughts.
- Mindfulness hiking. This practice differs from the conventional hiking or walking in that the person is required to focus on their breathing and sensations (Morgan 283). Thus, the activity can be compared to a kind of meditation.
- Equine-assisted activities. In general. It is widely known that animals are able to have a beneficial effect on the emotional state of people. Communication with horses is often used as therapy, as it reduces anxiety and stress levels, helps to feel an emotional connection with the animal and companionship (Morgan 284). By and large, instead of horses, it can be dogs or other animals.
In fact, there are other practices aimed to lower negative impact of stress. Mainly, all of them focus on physical activity combines with mental relaxation. In addition, a simple positive human communication experience is proved to help as well (Morgan 285). Hence, consultations and group activities are crucial in dealing with anxiety and depression. Moreover, the factors that reduce the load on the environment and its negative impact on the body are the predictability of external events, the ability to prepare in advance for them, as well as the ability to control events, which significantly reduces the strength of the impact of adverse factors. Therefore, these are the essential elements of any stress management strategy applied to college students.
Conclusion and Call of Action
Students critically need tools to provide a stable mental state capable of dealing with stressful circumstances. Stress management education should be integrated into the school curriculum to make learning more effective and prepare young people for later adulthood. The discussed instruments or any other practiced involving mindfulness, exercises and positive communication could be used for this purpose. Students should also be able to seek professional help with stress management.
Work Cited
Morgan, Barbara M. “Stress Management for College Students: An Experiential Multi-Modal Approach.” Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, vol. 12, no. 3, 2017, pp. 276–88. Crossref. Web.