| At what age do students have the greatest | | | | stressors. They can, in a sense, ambush the |
| stress? Young parents might say preschoolers | | | | stressors as a step of stress management. |
| have the greatest stress. They are leaving their | | | | 3. Stressor Identification: An important part of the |
| parents for the first time, and have many | | | | stress management ambush is to learn to identify |
| reasons to be afraid. Older parents say middle | | | | the enemy. A focused tertiary student will see |
| school students have the most stress, having just | | | | stressors and know them for what they are. |
| entered adolescence. Still others will cite | | | | Every university student has stressors. All of us |
| secondary school as the time of greatest stress. | | | | have unusual demands made on us. The key to |
| Most agree, however, that the stresses of | | | | stress management is to identify those demands |
| university life are very great. | | | | as stressors. |
| Stress management among students in | | | | In universities and colleges, stressors take the |
| universities is a hit-or-miss matter. Some | | | | form of unaccustomed activities. Sharing a room |
| universities schedule optional stress management | | | | with a stranger makes demands on a student. A |
| classes, but students often lack the time to | | | | new form of study is demanding. Financial |
| attend. If they have the time, they lack interest. | | | | resources and potentially new dating standards |
| Stress Management Keys | | | | can be stressors. |
| Specific keys will open the door to better stress | | | | Whether students are in Italy or Iowa, they are |
| management among students in universities. | | | | free of the constraints of home, and that |
| Some of those keys are being used, but others | | | | freedom is a stressor. Freedom makes unusual |
| are lost or neglected. Without them, stress | | | | demands on one who has not had it in fullness. |
| management is limited for the students. We will | | | | All of these and about 2000 more are stressors |
| not attempt to list here every key, or to put | | | | that a student must identify in order to engage in |
| them in any given order. Rather, we would like to | | | | stress management. |
| suggest stress management keys that may be | | | | 4. Turning Distress into Eustress: Another key |
| lost in the rubble of today's society. | | | | that helps unlock the doors to stress |
| 1. Clear definitions: Effective stress management | | | | management is that of turning distress into |
| among students requires clear definitions of words | | | | eustress. Students often act as victims of their |
| such as "stressor," "stress," "eustress," and | | | | stressors. They believe they can do nothing but |
| "distress." | | | | suffer. Stress management requires that they |
| Students who do not understand clearly what | | | | learn to turn a potentially negative response to |
| stress is cannot be expected to succeed at | | | | stressors into a positive response. |
| stress management. They may be trying to | | | | Eustress, the beneficial stress, is what carries an |
| manage stressors, thinking they are managing | | | | excited, happy couple through the whirlwind of |
| stress. The outcome may very well be increased | | | | preparation for a large wedding. From the |
| stress rather than stress management. | | | | moment of the proposal, the couple may be |
| Stress management among students in | | | | surrounded by stressors. Extra demands, unusual |
| universities can begin only after they understand | | | | demands are being made on them. Yet they are |
| that the extra demands made upon them are | | | | not depressed. The demands do not weigh heavily |
| stressors, not stress. They then must understand | | | | on them. They embrace them, and respond with |
| that their response to those demands constitutes | | | | smiles. They accept the challenge of getting |
| stress. Finally, if they are to get a grasp on | | | | everything done well and on time because they |
| practical stress management, they will need to | | | | choose to accept it that way. |
| know that there are two kinds of stress. One, | | | | The same type of response can be enlisted on |
| eustress, is beneficial. The other, distress, is | | | | other occasions that call for stress management. |
| detrimental. | | | | Much of what students view as negative stress |
| Students who understand these concepts, and | | | | can be turned around, energizing them to excel. |
| embrace them, have unlocked the first door | | | | Is this a false, rosy-tinted view of stress |
| leading to stress management. | | | | management? Not at all. Does this negate |
| 2. Action Plan: With a firm understanding of the | | | | principles such as deep breathing, exercise, healthy |
| definitions, students are ready to formulate a | | | | diet, and regular sleep? No. As we said, this is not |
| stress management action plan. They are ready | | | | an attempt to provide every key to stress |
| for the proverbial locking of the barn door to | | | | management. It is an effort to look at keys that |
| prevent the horse's escape. | | | | are being neglected. |
| Armed with the knowledge that stress is the | | | | Stress management among students in |
| response to stressors, students can learn to | | | | universities can be stripped of many programs, |
| control that response. They can determine to | | | | drugs, and therapies if these keys are used well. |
| take specific, proactive steps to prepare for | | | | |
