Ithaca College

As the semester pushes full-steam ahead, you may be feeling a bit overwhelmed. While we all have good and bad days, as stress increases from more assignments due, “crunch-time” can be intense and draining. Constant stress in your life can make everyday tasks difficult and really take a toll on your mental, physical, and emotional health. Anxiety may be good at times ("eustress") and increase productivity, but prolonged worries may make daily activities harder to accomplish- only making your problem worse!

Try to keep yourself healthy and take time to relax so you don't suffer "burn-out." Some stress-reducing activities you might enjoy:

• Writing in a journal
• Taking walks
• Exercising
• Talking with others
• Meditating or listening to music
• Being artistic and creative

Here are some quick tips and links to make sure you don’t "drown" in your pool of deadlines!

• Take the next 2 weeks before Thanksgiving break to get on top of your work load- go to the library with friends to make it more productive and fun.
• Write a "to-do" list every day to help manage your time.
• Stay active! Regular physical activity can improve mood and relieve stress.
• Disable social networking accounts until your big assignments are complete to avoid unproductive temptations.
• If you have concerns over your study habits, test skills, or managing your coursework, check out Academic Enrichment Services.
• Check out the Center for Health Promotion website for mental health tips, resourceful links, and ways to cope with stress OR check out the CDC's website on college mental health.
• If you'd like to discuss concerns with a counselor, make an appointment with CAPS right here on campus!
• Remember, hearing friends talk about suicide - even as a joke - can be a warning sign. Seek help if you believe someone may be in ANY danger. Take a Pathways workshop to learn more about suicide prevention! If you or someone you know is in a mental health emergency, call Public Safety at (607) 274-3333, the local Suicide Prevention Crisis Line at (607) 272-1616 or the national suicide prevention hotline at (800)273-TALK (8255).

Submitted by: Maria Behrens '12