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Handling stress at university. It is possible
Stress. No matter how old or educated you are, stress will haunt you from time to time. Undergraduate students are no exception.
Leaving home for the first time to study abroad, academic and social pressures, and that sudden feeling that you’re an adult can be exciting and overwhelming. The good news is that top universities around the world have taken this issue seriously by facilitating resources designed to cut stress – if this indeed is truly possible.
Leaving your comfort zone for the first time and stepping into a world where decisions and their consequences rest entirely on your shoulders can be unnerving, to say the least. Not only is no one there to cook for you, but the once annoying reminders to do your homework or wake up on time are gone but not forgotten. Many new undergraduates, accordingly, experience a substantial level of stress, and they’re not alone.
Student support services
Most, if not all, top universities offer student support services and counselling services to help undergraduates deal with everything from stress to depression, anxiety, bereavement and relationship issues. While stress can often be debilitating, it can also be decreased if ‘worked on’ upon onset. You may feel that your stress level isn’t bad enough (yet) to seek one-on-one counselling. This may or may not be the case, but as a new ‘adult’, you’ll have to be the judge. The good news is that many universities’ student support services have put resources in place to assist the student not needing or wanting private counselling.
Universities like University College London (UCL) have implemented workshops to provide guidance to undergraduates not necessarily wanting or needing private counselling. Overcoming procrastination and dealing with stress are two of many issues dealt with in such workshops. Furthermore, students are encouraged to seek help amongst their peers. UCL’s Student Online Support Service is one formal resource the university has implemented in order to help students deal with a variety of problems – from stress to relationship issues. This service, which allows the student to log in anonymously, provides a platform for student interaction at a level unmatched by many face-to-face services. How better to confront your concerns than anonymously with a peer? At a very basic level, no one can relate as well to the stress an undergraduate is experiencing than another undergraduate.
Peer-to-peer
Catherine McAteer, Manager and Senior Counsellor at the Student Counselling Service at UCL believes undergraduates are greatly helped through peer assistance. ‘We reach students where they are and provide them the kind of support they can use at any given time,’ she reports. ‘Utilizing the online system can be a stepping stone to overcoming stress or seeking later support.’ The counselling centre at UCL also has a menagerie of books available to students who may not feel completely comfortable coming in to see a counsellor.
Dr Olivera Bojic-Ognjenovic, Counsellor and Therapist at the Counselling & Learning Skills Service at the University of Toronto, reports very similar causes of stress amongst undergraduates. She stressed the importance of tackling stress before it builds up. ‘The centre is extremely busy around exam time. Students aren’t necessarily stressed about obtaining their desired marks, but underlying issues like depression tend to surface during periods of stress.’ The University of Toronto has even taken the extra measure of creating a non-denominational meditation room for those requiring tranquility.
Olivera does explain that many students are simply worried about their academic performance, saying that an increased level of competition witnessed throughout the past few years has definitely contributed to higher stress levels amongst undergraduates.
The good news is that receiving help, no matter how much or how little, is no longer taboo. Dr Bojic-Ognjenovic and her colleagues believe there has been a jump in male students coming forward to better their academic and social careers. What was once ‘uncool’ is now normal practice.
Student Survival Guide