It’s still early in the semester, so why does it feel so overwhelming all of a sudden? Well, let me tell you. First of all, school work is increasing in quantity and difficulty while outside responsibilities remain constant. These are the static stresses in a student’s life. But also there are unexpected stresses that are thrown at students and have the potential to be the most detrimental.

It’s not necessary to wallow in stress though. This can actually be more detrimental. There are multiple ways and resources available to students struggling to cope with stress:

1. Counseling

• There aren’t just academic counselors available to students in the district. Psych counselors are another resource available for students to schedule an appointment or to drop-in Monday through Thursday noon to one p.m.Talking to someone about what’s going on is more beneficial than bottling stress in and letting it build up.

2. Prioritization

• When feeling overwhelmed, it’s important to focus on what can be accomplished rather than what can’t. Students that are crunched for time must choose to complete what is going to be most impactful to their educational goals in the long run.For example, if a choice had to be made between finishing a small homework assignment and studying to pass a midterm, it would more beneficial in the long run to study.

3. Health

• Stress takes a toll on a student’s mental health. Besides talking about the stress and prioritizing how to alleviate the stress, concentrating on physical health will also be helpful. Exercising releases endorphins in a person’s brain which equals positive results. More exercise, more endorphins. Also maintaining a healthy diet will benefit the brain and body by giving them the necessary nutrients.

Those are some methods to fighting off the stress. It also helps to remember that it’s all going to be fine in the end. It might be cliché, but if it’s not fine it’s not the end.