Stress comes with the territory of being a college student, especially at this time of the semester.

Greg Welk, assistant professor of health and human performance, said the degree of stress one experiences depends on how each situation in life is dealt with.

“Circumstances in life can serve as stressors, but it is the person’s response or appraisal of the stress that determines how it will affect you,” he said.

While every individual responds to stress differently, stress has physiological, psychological, emotional and behavioral effects on everyone, Welk said.

“Stress is a normal part of life. In fact, life wouldn’t be nearly as interesting without some forms of positive stress, or eustress,” he said. “The key is to avoid excessive or negative forms of stress, or distress.”

Cosette Scallon, staff physician at Thielen Student Health Center, said stress keeps individuals more alert. “It keeps you on your toes,” she said.

“Stress is something that evolved to help us cope with and survive threatening situations, particularly those threatening our physical existence,” said Paddy Ekkekakis, assistant professor of health and human performance. “When stress becomes frequent or chronic, when it does not involve physical mobilization, and when it is combined with other negative lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol or eating an unhealthy diet, then it can be deadly.”

Sleep can also play a key role in stress, and Scallon said individuals need seven to nine hours of rest each night.

Stress is more than just a mental problem, Ekkekakis said. “Stress cannot be fully understood when viewed as only a psychological or only a physiological phenomenon,” he said. “Stress is a psycho-physiological problem.”

While dealing with stress, it is important for students to realize professors can relate to what they are going through, Welk said.

“Faculty members were all college students at one time also and are very familiar with the challenges of college life,” he said.

While she believes many instructors understand the daily trials of a college student, Scallon said there may be some who are less understanding.

“Many of them have been burned by manipulative and unorganized students in the past, so they are rather skeptical,” she said. “If a person has legitimate stress, either from certain situations such as illness – physical or mental – difficult family concerns, whatever, they need to communicate with their instructors from the onset. Most are willing to work with the student. If a student doesn’t talk with the teacher until the day before finals, they will be way less understanding.”

Ekkekakis said he shows his students the results of studies showing the effects of academic stress.

Such stress, he said, affects the hormones, immune system function, and susceptibility to disease.

“I think it is important for the students themselves to understand what is going on in their bodies as a result of academic stress,” he said. “It is also important for faculty members to understand this.”

The best way for a student to manage stress is to determine how much control he or she has over the situation, Welk said.

“Problem-focused strategies,” such as problem solving and getting advice from friends, are beneficial when dealing with situations within an individual’s control.

Students may also practice “emotion-focused strategies,” such as exercising and listening to music, in situations out of one’s control.

“Most stressors require both types of strategies,” Welk said.

There are important dos and don’ts that can help individuals manage stress in healthy ways, Scallon said. These include getting a good night’s sleep, eating healthy food, exercising regularly and participating in enjoyable hobbies that may help you relax.

Do not procrastinate, drink alcohol or caffeine regularly, smoke or become involved in unhealthy relationships.

An individual’s assessment of a stressor can have a significant bearing on how it is perceived, Welk said.

“If possible, it is best to view stressful experiences as challenges to be overcome or opportunities to learn from rather than as threats. This way they can be viewed more favorably,” Welk said.

Stress may lead people to engage in more negative behaviors like smoking or drinking and fewer positive behaviors like exercising and eating right.

“Do what your mother tells you to do: take care of yourself,” Scallon said.