Don't freak out!
Colby Pierce / Special Projects
Editor
"My goal on most days of the week is to get up around
8:30 a.m., but depending on when I went to bed, getting up
before 9 a.m. can be exhausting!"
Sophomore Caitlyn Glascock relays her tiring daily schedule;
she somehow completes an agenda like this everyday of the
week.
"From 9-12:30 I have several tasks to complete. I go to
the gym for about an hour everyday, which can be a daunting
task, but I must go to get it out of the way. In this time I
also shower, get ready and spend 30 to 45 minutes answering
e-mails and making a to-do list for Tuesday."
From there Glascock grabs lunch on the go, with no time to
socialize since she has to make it to class by 1:20 p.m.
"On Wednesday mornings I volunteer at the Twin Lakes
Senior Home for my Human Services class for roughly two
hours. After class ends, I work on homework and answer
e-mails until 5 p.m."
Like many students, Glascock is part of a sports team and
campus organizations that take up more time.
"I have field hockey practice at 6 p.m., and then I
have Phoenix14 Live at 7 p.m., then at 7:30 p.m. a post-show
wrap up. At 8 p.m., I grab dinner and finish homework. This
time is devoted to group work, working in the editing lab and
answering e-mails."
Her night ends with talking to her boyfriend and her parents
and preparing for the following day.
"On any given night of the week I also have leadership
workshop, course training, assistant fellows meetings,
leadership and sorority retreats, cultural events and various
service hours."
Many students can empathize with Glascock's hectic
schedule. Many are left asking, where did the time go?
Classes stack on top of homework, clubs and jobs have many
meetings, plus any other organizations that require
dedication, work and time.
Stress
Too many responsibilities compound at once can lead to
stress, which can be physically damaging to the body. Stress
can wear down the body's natural defenses leading to a
variety of physical symptoms.
According to webmd.com, symptoms can include aches and
pains, grinding of the teeth, headaches, increase or loss of
appetite, cold and sweaty palms, exhaustion and problems
sleeping.
Stress has been linked to six of the leading causes of death
including heart disease, cancer, accidents, cirrhosis of the
liver and suicide.
Stress can be in a positive or negative form. It can be
positive because it keeps people alert and ready to avoid
danger and negative when a person faces continuous challenges
without relief or relaxation between challenges. This leads
to a person becoming overworked and stress-related tensions
build.
Midterms
Midterms are a stressful time for the majority of students.
Classes pile on work, and worse, tests. To make matters
more difficult, spring break is just around the corner and
spring fever is beginning to kick in with students.
It is impossible to think that in one week, multiple classes
have major tests that count for the majority of a grade while
the following week is paradise—vacationing to the
south, going on cruises, visiting friends or just going home
to relax.
Senior Michelle Mastaler has been through midterms many
times.
"Stress always hits its peak around spring
break," Mastaler said.
"There is so much going on already plus extra school
work, it can turn into chaos."
Annmarie Carter is a licensed therapist at Elon. One of her
specialties is stress and time management. She understands
the stress college students go through on a daily basis, on
top of such a hectic week as midterm.
"I think it is important to take 30 minutes everyday to
do something that you enjoy, whether it is taking a hot
shower, a walk, going to the gym or talking to friends. Make
sure that the week is not only filled with
cramming—eat, sleep and stay social. That will help
reduce the stress of the week," Carter advised.
It can be nearly impossible to find time to relax, but it is
very important that students manage their time wisely so they
can fit it in.
Look at class syllabi a few weeks in advance in order to
manage time as best as possible with studying, jobs, social
life and relaxation time.
Senior Job Searching
Mastaler has a lot on her table, focusing on graduating and
job hunting.
"Job hunting is going to be hard, you have to figure
out if you want location or job, then go from there,"
Mastaler said. "I'm lucky because my major is
education and I want to stay in North Carolina.
Since North Carolina has such a teacher shortage, I know it
won't be too hard for me to find a job."
It can be difficult figuring out exactly what job to look
for, and then trying to decide where to live is equally as
stressful. Job searching for a solid future job while still
living day to day towards graduation can add extra levels of
stress to any student.
"My daily routine is basically the same; the only extra
work I have right now is just trying to network with teachers
around the area and see where they have connections,"
Mastaler said. "Networking is key when trying to find a
job."
For those who know their major but do not know what
direction they want to go with it can be even worse.
Carter wants to remind seniors of an important part of life.
"Seniors don't have to figure out the rest of their
lives in the last months in college. It is stressful to find
jobs, but if a job is not satisfying, it is always possible
to find something else," Carter said.
Mastaler's mindset is close to Carter's.
"Talking about graduation is sad, I don't want
college to be over yet, the real world can be a scary place
and I don't think I'm ready for that yet," said
Mastaler. "I try not to think about what I'll be
doing this summer or next year, I just live day by day,"
said Mastaler.
Tips to destress
There are many tips to keep levels of stress low. It can
begin as simple as keeping a positive attitude and accepting
that there are events that are uncontrollable.
It is important to stay open and communicate feelings,
opinions and beliefs instead of getting angry, defensive or
passive.
Good time management is important when looking to lower
escalated stress levels.
"Stay on top of assignments during the semester,"
Carter said. Look at how you spend time and look at
priorities—reassess school, relationships, sororities,
etc. Be mindful of projects, don't leave an assignment 30
minutes that will actually take three hours.".
It is important to keep a healthy diet as well. Exercising
daily can help the body fight stress as well as eating
well-balanced meals.
Getting enough rest and sleep helps the body to recover from
stressful events.
Carter emphasized the importance of the basics such as
eating and sleeping well.
"Many students get caught up in their work, and forget
to eat well, sleep and exercise." Carter said. If
students don't eat, their brains won't process
information well and it will also affect sleep
patterns."
Glascock has her own relaxing technique.
"I always shower at least twice a day, this is my
relaxation time. It is my own private time where I can be on
my own without doing anything at all."
Exercise is a popular stress outlet.
Sophomore Caitlin Mackeown has Scottish dance class every
Monday night and then works out at the gym other days of the
week.
"Dance is a great outlet for releasing my stress that
builds up,"
Mackeown said. When I start dancing, I do not think about
anything I have going on with school. I just get into the
zone and feel very relaxed at the end of dance class."
Koury Center offers many group exercise classes that many
students frequent; the classes run from 30 minutes to an
hour.
They include pilates, water aerobics, adrenaline,
awesome abs, yoga and more. Students can pay $5 and go to any
class free for the remainder of the semester to help relax
and lower stress.
Carter's focus is for each student to find balance.
"Always seek to find balance; it helps deal with stress
better. Find balance in four areas: physical, emotional,
spiritual and intellectual. Just keep a positive message in
your head, 'I did the best that I can, so be it,' not
a negative 'I did horrible, I'm going to fail,'
it will help mentally."
It may seem tedious, but plotting out a month's
activities in advance will help reduce stress in the long
run. Also, making sure to keep time in the day to take fun
breaks will help keep a relaxed nature and maintain normal
social patterns.
These tips and methods will help reduce stress that builds
throughout students' college lives.
Contact Colby Pierce at pendulum@elon.edu or
278-7247
| 
Christina Costas, sophomore
Chris
Muros, freshman
Ben
Pierce, junior
Greg
Okhovat, sophomore
Adrienne
Helmick, junior