Justine Mirek 鈥�19 is busy. Nail-biting, stomach-churning, tic-inducing, insomnia-provoking busy. The kind of busy fueled by chips and cookies chased with supersized cups of coffee or Red Bull.
Mirek鈥檚 final two weeks of the semester include exams, projects, a presentation, a portfolio review, internship responsibilities, preparations for studying abroad in Australia next semester and a search for a summer job. And yet the and major looks calm, serene even.
鈥淭his is my stressful week,鈥� Mirek says. 鈥淏ut I usually plan out my studying or plan out time to complete assignments. Knowing I鈥檝e set time aside to do the work alleviates the stress.鈥�
Mirek is involved in planning Campus Recreation鈥檚 鈥淪tress Less Week,鈥� happening through December 21 at the . Events planned include making your own stress ball, a pound-it-out exercise class and sound healing. Fascitelli鈥檚 Wellness Resource Center offers self-guided meditation, zen board painting and meditative coloring.
For students who feel they can鈥檛 carve out time from studying to take advantage of Stress Less Week, campus experts offer their advice to beat back stress.
Take water into exams
Hydration is critical, said Professor , who teaches general and sports nutrition in the Nutrition and Food Sciences department. 鈥淥ne of the first symptoms of dehydration is fatigue, so reaching for coffee is a bad idea.鈥� Try green tea or seltzer flavored with fruit.
Eat vegetables
Fatigue from sleep deprivation can trigger increased ghrelin production, a hormone that triggers feelings of hunger, which can drive a person to eat more foods higher in sugar and fat. A diet rich in less-processed, less-refined foods can make a big difference, Melanson said.
Get over FOMO
Students should get 8-to-9 hours of sleep a night. The average college student is getting about 6-to-7 hours. One less hour a night means losing a night鈥檚 sleep a week. Sleep habits of first-year students tend to be the worst. They try to manage new schedules and maintain old friendships late into the evening, said , associate professor and program director of 911爆料鈥檚 Human Development and Family Studies Department. And students鈥� sleep is often interrupted by devices.
And then there’s FOMO, shorthand for Fear of Missing Out, which is now being studied by psychologists. Students are loathe to be the first to sleep for fear of missing something, Adams said.
Adams said plan for sleep. 鈥淭ell people ‘I鈥檓 going to bed now.’ Set a time after which you鈥檙e done with your phone and go to bed when you鈥檙e tired,鈥� Adams said. 鈥淎nd realize you have to go to bed when you鈥檙e tired.鈥�
Breathe, then move
Buddhist Geshe of 911爆料鈥檚 Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies counsels students to assess their feelings when stressed. Then, sit in a comfortable position, take three deep breaths, and stretch to loosen the body. A simple activity such as singing a song or taking a walk can also help, Tendar said.
鈥淧eople thought that with tech, wealth, opportunity and education all problems would be taken care of but people are still experiencing suffering,鈥� Tendar said. 鈥淔ocus on the mind rather than a solution outside.鈥�