Stress is synonymous with college life. The tests and projects pile up. The job is demanding and the social life is calling your name. The whirlwind keeps spinning faster and faster and soon you feel like life is getting out of control.

But don’t wave the white flag in surrender just yet. There are plenty of strategies and practices you can adopt to help keep stress at bay. Mary Jo Gonzales, director of the Academic Success Center, said there are many ways to conquer stress and recommends this method for students: the stop, drop and roll technique.

She said you should first stop and assess your situation, then figure out what is causing you to be stressed and finally, find a different approach to handle what is going on.

“Each student, in my opinion, is unique, and responds to stress differently,” Gonzales said.

The key, she said, is to figure out why you are stressed and how you, as an individual, are best able to deal with that stress in a healthy manner.

Gonzales said students find the hardest words to say are “I need help.” But admitting you need help can steer you in the right direction of making life more manageable since you may not be alone.

“Most of the time we think we’re going through it all by ourselves,” Gonzales said.

But this often isn’t the case. Finding people who are frazzled by the same thing can be as easy as looking around one of your classes. You can seek these people out to work on projects or homework together, Gonzales said.

The Academic Success Center is also a valuable resource available to stressed students on campus. Jill Kramer, coordinator of the academicintervention program, said the center offers individual consultation sessions and many workshops on topics such as relaxation techniques.

Kramer said finding a method of time management that works for you is also important.

She recommends using a technique called “back-tasking.” This involves planning ahead and asking yourself what you need to do in preparation for a due date.

Another key in coping with stress is learning to say no. You may have to say no to joining another club when the homework is piled on, and you may have to decline an invitation to go out with friends.

“‘No’ is not an inherently bad word,” Gonzales said, “and most tend to think it is.”

Gonzales also said that “no” shouldn’t always be your first response, but it is an answer to be used wisely. The decisions regarding your priorities should be based on what you consider to be valuable.

“If you know what’s important to you, the nos get easier,” Gonzales said.

When your priorities are in focus, you have a better perspective of what to filter out.

Kramer said learning to handle stress is a valuable life skill students need to learn in college. The Academic Success Center is oriented toward doing just that.

“The things we teach them are going to assist them in that internship or that full-time job,” Kramer said.

Tips for coping with stress:

Use planning tools — Kramer said the Academic Success Center has free planners available for students. She also suggested using tools such as whiteboard calendars, computerized calendars and sticky notes to help you organize your schedule and the tasks and deadlines you have to fulfill.

Exercise and eat healthy – Gonzales said these are “important in the equation.”

Investigate the resources available to you – Check out the Academic Success Center Web site, www.dso.iastate.edu/asc, for information about workshops, tips on stress management and more. The staff at the center can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 294-6624.

Take a time management assessment – The center’s Web site has an evaluation for you to fill out that can assess what time of day you feel most alert, what distracts you and what your strengths and weaknesses are in the area of time management.