By Lindsey Coblentz

Stress can be overwhelming. Especially when a student has a 9 o’clock class with a term paper due the next morning, and he or she still has to go to work that night.

The problem is, it can be hard for students to be able to tell when they have crossed the line between positive stress and too much to handle. Melanie Simpson Hiler, a licensed professional clinical counselor for the University of Louisville Counseling Center, said that the amount of stress that is manageable can vary greatly from one person to another.

“One person may be able to deal with having two jobs and going to school full-time, and the same situation might cause somebody else not to sleep at night.”

What most students may not realize is that stress is not always a bad thing.

“[Stress] prepares us for taking care of ourselves in times of challenge and difficulty. It’s really a good thing,” said Karen Newton, the director of health promotion and education for Campus Health Services.

The American Institute of Stress agrees. According to the Institution’s Web site, increased stress can actually lead to increased productivity and efficiency.

The negative side of stress appears when people take on more than they can handle. Freshman Amanda Fiedler said stress can get overwhelming.

“The workload and trying to fit it in with friends – it’s a lot.”

When it comes to the cause of stress overload, Fiedler said, “I think some people just plan too much, and they try to cram too much in.”

There are some common signs of overstress that students can look for, including frequent headaches, neck and back pain, stomach pain or nausea, chest pain, excess worrying, mood swings or simply feeling overloaded. When students experience any of these symptoms, it may be time to lighten their stress load.

These symptoms can sometimes turn into much worse ailments. The effects of stress can contribute to hypertension, strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, ulcers and neck and lower pack pain.

According to Dr. Terri White, who also works at the Counseling Center, students can relieve stress simply by managing their time better.

“Developing a schedule is number one,” said White, who teaches students to use a “chunking” system when it comes to managing their time. Using this system, students set aside specific chunks of time for various activities.

Jessica Crum, a freshman with an undeclared major, said she agreed with Dr. White. “I think time management is a big issue – you have to learn how to budget your time.”

In addition to managing her schedule, Jessica has some additional ways that she copes with stress.

“If I feel like I’m getting stressed out, I’ll just leave whatever I’m doing, and maybe go take a walk or something because just a few minutes of getting your mind off of it can help. You can always afford a few minutes to just take a break and try to clear your mind.”

Besides managing their time and going for walks, there are several other ways that students can take a break from their stress, including listening to music, keeping a journal, playing video games, conversing with friends and meditating.

On Aug. 30, Campus Health Services and the Wellness Initiative for Student Empowerment, W.I.S.E, will begin offering 20-minute head and neck massages for only a $4 co-pay.

For students who would like more information on dealing with stress and time management issues, the Counseling Center will begin offering two different groups starting this fall.

One group, called “Becoming at Ease Around People” will be led by Dr. Terri White of the Counseling Center.

This group will be geared toward students who get stressed out when meeting new people or giving class presentations. The group will meet Monday evenings from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 10.

For more information or if interested in participating, students are encouraged to contact Dr. Terri White at 852-6585.

The other group, called “Lost in Transition”, will be a collaborative effort between Karen Newton of Campus Health Services and Melanie Simpson Hiler of the Student Counseling Center.

This group will teach students some tools and techniques to help cope with the many stresses of college life.

This group plans to start meeting in October, but students need to contact Hiler at 852-6585 by Sept. 28 if they are interested in participating.