» Tips for College Students » Stress
Managing Stress & Adversity
Stress! It’s everywhere.
The challenges you face in college are worth the effort, and by the time you graduate you truly will have earned your diploma. It’s important to distinguish stress (the daily pressure you face, which can seriously take its toll on you) vs. adversity (life events which are difficult to overcome).
While it’s romantic to talk about courage in the face of stress and adversity, many of the challenges you face in life are deeply painful. Loss, guilt, and pain: all of it can wield enormous emotional weight in your life.
In the midst of encountering adversity, you might be too shocked by the blows to accurately assess their severity or impact. It’s in your nature to bounce back up and resume the fight. That’s good. The ability to bounce back is an essential success skill. But so is the ability to reach out for help.
As you face adversity, it is important that you talk to someone you trust so that they might provide advice and perspective. What you consider a flesh wound treatable with a mere Band Aid, a trusted friend or professional might clearly see as a severe injury requiring prolonged rehabilitation. A one-on-one meeting with an Academic Coach at the Student Success Center can help you talk through the adversities you face and lead you to concrete steps which will position you for success.
In the links below you will find connections to people on campus who are here to help you work through the challenges you face. In addition, you will find access to web resources on a host of stress & adversity-related issues.
Resources @UT
UT Student Counseling Center: Meet with a counselor at the UT Student Counseling Center and check out their online self-help strategies.
External Resources
- Controlling anger before it controls you (American Psychological Association)
- Center for Internet Addiction (compulsive surfing, online gaming, eBay addiction, etc)
- 160 Self Help Topics (free self-help topics & information)
- Description and treatment of anxiety disorders (SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center)
- Identifying and coping with depression (National Institute of Mental Health)