Strategies for University Students to Manage Stress

We often feel tense and confused when facing various stressors in our daily lives. Stress reaction like anxiety and unstable emotions may also be triggered. How should we manage stress and not get overwhelmed by it? Follow our guideline to survive seasons of stress:

1. Life Balance: Draw up a schedule that balances academic, social and leisure activities. Do not leave till tomorrow what you can do today; reduce stress and increase your efficiency by proper planning and organized living.

2. Realistic Goal Setting: Plan ahead with the aid of a timetable. Establish reasonable expectations, set long-term (semester or annual) and short-term (daily or weekly) goals and incorporate them into a timetable, formulate specific and feasible plans and implement the goals.

3. Body and Mind Stretch: Make good use of stress-reducing methods that suit your personal needs, such as exercise, music or crafts; try out relaxing exercises or regulate breathing techniques to help relieve stress.

4. Regulating Thoughts: We often overlook our own strengths, efforts, or the small joys in life because we demand too much of ourselves or others. Taking the time to notice the good things in our daily lives and trying to feel grateful for at least one thing or experience of the day. We can also provide self-reward to ourselves, e.g., listening to music, reading novels, or having a snack, after completing a task.

5. Strengthening Supports: Build a social network that supports you. Connect with trustworthy and empathetic friends or family members, who may ease your emotional distress and provide you with new perspectives to cope with problems. It can also help strengthen your relationships with them.

6. Make time for personal interests: Take some time to participate in your favorite hobbies or activities to bring yourself joy and satisfaction.

7. Laughter often: Smiling causes the brain to secrete happy hormones to fight anxiety. By adding laughter to life, we cultivate a personal sense of humor and it helps us fight off stress.

8. Take good care of yourself: Work, rest regularly, and eat properly every day; lack of sleep will compromise your immune system and causing your body to be more susceptible to disease; avoid maladaptive habits that are harmful to your health, such as smoking and drinking, etc. Keep your body in top conditions so it can be ready to face challenges.

By making a habit of paying attention to our own mental state, it can help to bring our consciousness back to the present, where we may notice small details of life and use various methods to regulate stress. We will then be able to face adversity with calmness and self-control, and actively face challenges in all aspects.

If you wish to seek emotional support or assistance, please contact WACC and make an appointment with our counsellors; we are here to listen when you are ready.