College Students and Stress

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College Students and Stress

By: Vinny Arsi, Rachel Zeilman, Joseph DeRose, and Mike

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What is stress? Stress is an emotion one feels in response to

a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional response

Can come from any situation that makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous or anxious

Caused by existing stressors Environmental Economic Commuting

Coping Mechanisms Eating/Sleeping Exercise Counseling

Anyone can experience stress Can lead to anxiety or depression

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Environmental Stressors: What causes stress from living at college? Undergraduate Freshman

leaving home for the first time becoming independent decision makers having to meet new standards

Loss of control over new environment Not used to the area, feel uncomfortable

Hard time adjusting to new climate new language/slang behavior

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what are some effects? Some new students can find the new

experiences to be exciting, others overwhelming and filled with anxiety

Nervousness Loneliness Sleepiness Homesickness

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Homesickness For some it can be mild Others have excessive stress, anxiety,

depression Can improve over time or can suffer entire

academic career Withdrawal from friends and family

Don’t try and make new friends Feel uncomfortable and shy Tend to stay in their rooms and not participate in

activities on campus Keep to themselves Effects academic and social life 5

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Friendships and relationships Developing new friendships and managing old

ones is a major cause of stress in new college students

Hard to determine who you can trust when you know no one

Keeping in touch with old friends from high school can be stressful Tend to close themselves off and only talk to old

friends Not making new ones because they feel

comfortable with others Or if you neglect old friends, they may come to

resent you for moving on Find balance

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Stress from College CommutingJournal is Perceptual and Motor SkillsTitle is Driving Induced Stress in Urban

College Students’Researched possible correlation

between college commuting and stressAttempted to find leading stress-

inducers experienced during commuting

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Leading Stressors from commuting

An exam at school

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Leading Stressors from commuting

Parking at school

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Leading Stressors from commuting

Car riding too closely behind

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Stress from college Commuting

Slow Drivers

Pick it up!!!

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Research Conclusion Correlation between high-stress levels and

college commuting Concluded that the leading stressor was….

SOMEONE DRIVING TOO SLOWLY ON THE ROAD.

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Foods That Are snacked on

Pringles

Tastycakes

Potato Chips

Ice Cream

Candy

Ramen noodles

Fast Food

Energy Bars

Pop-tarts

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Stress from Commuting Look familiar?

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Stress from college Commuting Research showed correlation between high-stress

levels and college commuting

Relieving Stress

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Ways to Handle Stress

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Physical Activity Study, Vigorous Physical Activity, Sports

Participation, and Athletic Identity: Implications for Mental and Physical Health in College Students

Included 395 undergraduate college students. Measured and compared both High School and

College Students Higher stress and lower physical activity rates

were shown in college students compared to high school students

Results for Mental Health showed those who were Continuously Active and Currently Active had a high positive affect and self-esteem, along with lower stress reported as compared to those Not Continuously Active and Not Currently Active

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Personal Survey Surveyed 50 Rowan Undergraduate Students 62% said they experience some sort of stress. Of those who said YES, 84% said this stress

affects them in some way on a daily bases. 68% reported not getting enough physical

activity.(3-4 workouts a week of 30 minutes our more)

Of that 68%, 71% never though of physical activity as a means of dealing with stress

Of the 32% that reported yes, 95% said it helped them deal with stress

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Get Up And Get Started!!

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