Leaving home and heading off to college is exciting. You’re living by yourself, you can eat what you want, when you want. You can decide your curfew and bedtime. You can prioritize your time however you see fit. But, you can also end up with a side order of some strong stress if you don’t handle these new freedoms wisely.
David Bum, an upper-level clinical psychology graduate student, says stress can ultimately affect students in some pretty serious ways.
“Chronic stress is associated with lowered immune resistance to colds, may contribute to procrastination, can impact test performance, and impact relationships,” Bum said. “College students experience many demands and situations that can trigger the stress response. Students are often pulled in many directions including school, work, family and relationships.
“Learning to balance all of these components while simultaneously developing independence skills is quite a challenge. Therefore, it is important for students to consider and practice effective stress management strategies.”
A new group slated to begin weekly meetings on April 4 can help you overcome and learn how to deal with some of the stress associated with being a college student. The new Stress Reduction Group will be run by four clinical psychology graduate students, including Bum.
Bum says students will consider several evidence-based techniques that have been shown to decrease stress and increase the relaxation response. Techniques to be covered include: diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, imagery, mental training (attention and awareness), and exercises on compassion and forgiveness.
The core of the group is an experiential awareness of the effects of stress on student’s bodies, minds and hearts, but students will also discuss their own stressors in a more open forum and will receive support and encouragement from group leaders.
The group will meet every Wednesday for four weeks beginning on April 4 from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. in the Behavioral Heath and Wellness Clinic (BHWC) located in the bottom of Lucille Clements Hall. The fee for the four-week group is $40. For more information, students can call the BHWC at 423-439-7777.