Sources of academic stress include:

• leaving home and structuring time on your own
• commuting to school
• living with a roommate and negotiating differences
• managing the increase in expectations for academic functioning
• handling personal problems while keeping up with school work
• having less structure in life and no one to offer guidance
• dealing with multiple priorities - like getting school work done, socializing, working, meeting family demands and getting good grades
• meeting the expectations of parents, faculty, friends and your own expectations for doing well
• not having enough time to get everything done and
• perhaps not having learned effective study skills and habits prior to coming to college

Coping Strategies:

Ways of coping can be immediate and short-term, or they can be long-term.

Some short-term ways of coping are:

• Take a break when you need one
• Take some deep breaths and slow down
• Relax your body by stretching your muscles
• Take a mental break by using visual imagery
• Keep your sense of perspective by asking yourself: Is this really worth getting upset about?
• Use coping statements like:
• "I can only do the best I can do."
• "I refuse to get stressed out about this."
• "This is not the end of the world."
• "I'll try to do better next time."
• "I know that I can't be perfect, and I don't expect myself to be."

Some long-term coping strategies are:

• learning time management skills and using a daily planner
• learning how to get organized
• learning good study skills
• exercising
• getting enough rest
• eating well and nutritiously so your body has the energy it needs
• having a good support network
• avoiding drug and alcohol abuse, because you are only creating a new set of problems
• setting your own goals and priorities and living by them
• not trying to please others and live up to their expectations
• giving up having to be perfect
• learning how to think rationally and optimistically
• using the excellent resources available on campus as soon as you begin to experience academic difficulty

Resources:

Samuel Rudin Academic Resource Center - (914) 633-2217
Counseling Center - (914) 633-2038
Resident Assistants - (914) 633-2336
Office Student Success - (914) 633-2270