Although most students are familiar with stress, the anticipation of final exams and graduation can be even more overwhelming.

However, there is help available for students in search of stress relief.

“There are a variety of services offered around campus,” said Mark Becker, contract counselor for Student Counseling Services. Becker said Student Counseling Services offers individual and group counseling, and also provides free information on stress relief.

There is not an increased number of students seeking counseling at the end of the semester, Becker said, but more students who come in claim they are experiencing more stress with finals approaching.

“A lot of changes are coming for people with summer approaching, and that’s a stressful thing to deal with,” he said.

For students looking for everyday stress relief methods while studying for finals, Becker said he would recommend that students try to keep perspective on their situation and not fall out of their regular routine of stress relief methods.

“There’s a lot of work that’s done at this time and the pressure that this is the last chance to improve their grades or get a good grade,” he said. “There are a lot of changes that can be going on during this time of year that can be pretty stressful.”

Megan Gustafson, sophomore in political science, said she has visited the Student Counseling Services before, and she was pleased with the treatment she received.

“I just went in and filled out paperwork regarding why I thought that I would want their services and what kind of services I would need,” she said. “That way they could get a better idea of what they needed to best accommodate me.”

Gustafson said the staff at Student Counseling Services makes her feel comfortable when she visits.

“The people are very professional and very friendly,” she said. “They also promise their confidentiality.”

Becker also recommended the services of the Student Wellness Center. “[The center] offers counseling and other things to deal with stress,” he said. “They have a counselor on their staff, a nutritionist, a variety of people to help with general wellness and well-being.”