Page 100 - Keys to College Success

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COLLEGE STRESS EXPLORATION

All sorts of situations and experiences can cause stress during college. Furthermore, everyone has a unique response
to any potential stressor. One way to assess your individual situation is to look at the different areas of your life and
rate how much stress you are experiencing in each at the current time. Use a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the
lowest possible level of stress and 10 being the highest possible level:
____ 1. Increased independence and responsibility ____ 9. Performance on tests
____ 2. Family relationships ____10. Physical health and fitness
____ 3. Friend relationships ____11. Mental health and balance
____ 4. Academic relationships (instructors, student ____12. Academic planning (major, etc.)
peers, administration, etc.) ____13. Career planning and vision for future
____ 5. Boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse relationships ____14. Work situation, if you have a job on or off
____ 6. Managing time and schedule campus
____ 7. Managing money ____15. Current living situation (home, dorm, etc.)
____ 8. Performance on assignments
Total your points here: ________
The lowest possible score is 15, and the highest possible 150. The higher your score, the more stress you perceive you
are currently experiencing. Things to think about:
■ Ponder what your total score says about your life at the moment. A score over 100 may indicate that reducing
stress should be a top priority for you right now. A score under 50 may indicate that you are currently experienc-
ing tolerable, and even productive, levels of stress.
■ Take a look at how you rated each item, and consider putting particular energy into the areas that you rated
the highest. There are two ways to determine where your energy would serve you best: One, focus on any area that
you rated a 7 or higher. Two, focus on the f ve areas that you rated highest, no matter what number you gave them.

School and community resources can help you manage whatever level of stress you are experiencing. On a sepa-
rate sheet of paper or digital f le, write down names, locations, hours, phone numbers, URLs, and any other pertinent
information for the following resources:
■ Free counseling offered to students
■ Exercise facility
■ Sexual assault center
■ Other resource

Source: Adapted in part from Kohn, P.M., K. Lafreniere, and M. Gurevich, “The Inventory of College Students Recent Life Experi-
ences: A Decontaminated Hassles Scale for a Special Population.” Journal of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 619–630, 1990.

hands in your lap, palms up, and close your eyes. Start by breathing deeply, in and
out, preferably through your nose. Listen to your breathing. Some people like to
count as they inhale and exhale. When thoughts come up, let them pass by as if you
were watching a movie. If you have a hard time sitting still, try an active meditation,
breathing and counting while you walk, bike, or swim.
The stresses of college lead some students to experiment with alcohol, tobacco, and
other potentially addictive substances. Although these substances may alleviate stress
temporarily, they have potentially serious consequences.

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