Stress Workshops on Campus

BY Kaitlin Katzenback

Assistant Perspectives Editor

The Jandrisevits Learning Center, better known as the JLC, has planned “Stress Reduction Techniques” workshops this semester in order to aid students in managing their stress and anxiety.

“In a concerted effort of the university to provide new tools for students to academically succeed in college, the JLC offers mindfulness workshops for students to learn new techniques to overcome their stress and anxiety, especially during midterm and final exams,” said Executive Director of the JLC, Ardiana Sula.

According to the JLC, many students at Sacred Heart reported dealing with stress during the academic year.

“I find myself under a significant amount of stress, actually. I feel like I have a heavy workload and not a lot of time to get everything done,” said junior Nicole Gomez-Nieto.

While some students experience high levels of stress, others find ways to keep their stress to a minimum.

“I think that I have learned good time management skills from high school and can ultimately handle my work and extracurricular activities. I make sure there is enough time to get everything done,” said sophomore Mary Kaczmarski.

Though some studies show that a majority of college students are negatively impacted by stress and anxiety.

“Research shows that nearly two-thirds of college students report anxiety and there is a strong correlation between stress and underperformance,” said Sula.

According to NeaToday.org, anxiety is the number one complaint amongst college students seeking mental health services. A quarter of these students complain that anxiety affects their ability to perform well in school.

“I think I handle my stress really well, I never let my stress impact my grades. While it can definitely be challenging sometimes to find the motivation to finish all my assignments, I feel I do a decent job at managing my stress with my workload,” said Gomez-Nieto.

As final exams are approaching, some students will experience an increase in their levels of stress.

“I run the stress reduction workshops at Sacred Heart to give students the tools they need to relax and take care of themselves through the challenges that they experience during the semester. When assignments pile up or students experience difficulties with their coursework, the stress can take a toll on their health as well as their performance in school. These workshops at the JLC are aimed at reducing students’ stress and anxiety. This, in turn, helps students become more successful in school,” said Professor Erika Murphy.

The workshop will discuss numerous techniques to help students ease their levels of stress and anxiety.

“During the workshop, I touch on the importance of paced breathing, which is a slow 5-second breath in, and then a slow 5-second breath out. Slowing down our breathing ‘resets’ the nervous system and allows the body to relax. I also discuss mindfulness meditation as a great way to help refocus the mind and calm the body,” said Murphy.

Some students have found their own coping methods for dealing with stress.

“I normally like to do something fun and relaxing when I start to feel stressed. Hanging out with my friends, going to get coffee, or walking around the mall are some of the things I find myself doing the most,” said Kaczmarski.

If you are interested in attending any future workshops, information regarding schedules and registration can be found on Sacred Heart’s website.

“College can be very challenging, so it’s important to take care of yourself. I encourage students to take advantage of all the resources on campus such as the counseling center and the health center, especially when they are starting to feel overwhelmed,” said Murphy.

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