“I’m so stressed!”

Sound familiar? If you can relate, you have plenty of company. Over half of college students today report feeling the sort of chronic pressure that calls for stress reduction techniques.

Now, stress isn’t always a bad thing. A healthy amount is linked to increased alertness and high performance. What’s more, research suggests that adopting a positive mindset can not only help you manage stress better but also may lead to a longer life span, emotional resilience, improved mental and physical health, and better academic performance.

A positive mindset involves reframing unpleasant situations in a more positive or productive way. Examples are practicing positive self-talk and gratitude and surrounding yourself with positive people.

But when stress becomes overwhelming, you may suffer a range of negative mental and physical health issues, such as headaches, anxiety, chest pain and insomnia. These symptoms are your body’s way of demanding some changes (and may warrant a discussion with your doctor).

Going back to school after a long break often triggers apprehension. Sloan notes, “A lot of students who get stressed are people who’ve been out of school for quite a while. They have been working in their profession. Then suddenly they’re back in school and need to write a paper every week.”

This shift can be intimidating as returning students often need to adapt to the demands of regular assignments, research and academic writing, which may feel unfamiliar after a long period devoted to professional work. 

Students who are returning to education after a number of years away often experience study stress — or anxiety about specific academic skills.

Sloan has seen this personally, noting that writing can feel intimidating to returning adult students. “Students write papers every single week,” he explains, “and they get wrapped up in the idea that, ‘I’m a bad writer and I’m not going to do well on this.’”  

As Sloan puts it, “Don’t look at it as something you should be afraid of. Look at it as a growth opportunity.”

And make sure to take advantage of resources at the University, he adds. “There’s the Center for Writing Excellence,” he says. “It offers a service that will review your paper before you submit it to let you know if there are mistakes or things you need to correct. Often, people get stressed before they realize there’s a lot of help out there.”

Work responsibilities, family commitments and school assignments — any one of these on your plate is enough to trigger a degree of stress. Are you striving to meet the demands of most or all of these roles without compromising performance (or sleep!)? That’s a challenge for every working student. 

Being stressed about money comes with the territory of being an adult. So, as a student with financial responsibilities, like a mortgage or family expenses, paying for tuition can add an extra layer of stress. Like the not-enough-time-in-the-day stressors, balancing financial priorities requires compromise and planning, which, while necessary, adds complexity to an already packed schedule. 

Additionally, if you’re attending UOPX, leverage its support system. The University programs are designed to fit your lifestyle — not vice versa. For example, you can take one class at a time to better integrate your educational goal with your other responsibilities. Reach out to the UOPX financial aid office to explore your options.