How to handle stress in student life

KOTA FACTORY!!! WHERE ARE WE HEADED

Photo Credit: Moorthy RV

A typical picture showing Kota students preparing for numerous entrance exams at the hub of coaching center. There is a perception in the eyes of the students and parents that these institutes go a long way in helping students to secure top ranking positions in the esteemed educational institutes. It is perhaps because of this mindset and hope in their eyes that almost an overwhelming 85 percent of studying in places like Kota spends 9-10 hours of their day in the coaching centers.

Exams. Studies. Friendships. Social media. Living away from their families. Figuring out what to do with their lives. A student has so many doubts looming over them specially after school life. This situation of excessive competition among students results unsurmountable stress in students’ life ultimately resulting in feeling isolated, rejected, and suicidal creating sad stories for so many students and their families.

As exam season looms for students, it’s worth paying extra attention to the symptoms of stress which may be arising in students. As a teacher, at Greater Noida institute of Professional Studies, I’ve had the opportunity to explore a wide range of resources and approaches for dealing with academic and personal issues. In this blog, I’ll provide some insights on the ways that have helped me manage the challenges of student life, as well as the things I did to look after myself.

The first and foremost important thing is to understand that what stress is all about and how to identify its symptoms. In simple language it is the response of the body to pressures of life– whether at work or in one’s personal life. Stress is not always a negative response. It is the very feeling that help individuals to push through difficult situations and through their own limits in their lives resulting in stepping out of their comfort zone and identifying new versions of themselves. We all have our response to stress. Sometimes the symptoms of stress are easily identifiable and sometimes we ourselves are not able to identify our own symptoms. So in order to identify these symptoms we should focus on our own behavior such as unable to concentrate on assignments or exam revision, becoming easily agitated, frustrated, and moody, constantly worrying, eating too much or too little ,attempting to ‘self-medicate’ with other substances (e.g. caffeine) and also physical response like chest pain and a rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, headaches or migraines, tiredness and a lack of energy, problems getting to sleep.

So now you know that you are stressed but what to do about it. Here are certain ideas that you can apply to overcome stress in your daily life.

• Stay organized: Preparing a to-do-list and a diary can go a long way in keeping you up to date and on your toes for any task.
• Baten: Easiest to say but the hardest to do, conversations with your loved ones can go a long way to whoosh! stress away from your life.
• Walks with nature: In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks that’s why its considered to be the man’s best medicine.
• World of books:  Take a break for life get yourself emersed in the world of books where you can find a safe space for yourself as books are uniquely portable magic.
• No caffeine: Restlessness, shakiness, insomnia, headaches are few of the many reasons for you to not have any caffeine in your day.
• Comparisons: Two humans are completely different from each other, comparing them is like insulting nature. So don’t compare yourself to others but to yourself, the person you were yesterday.
• Eating your favorite meals: You should try to feast your way through your favorite and healthy meals as food is not just fuel but an experience.

In the hope of not letting the whole world turn into Kota factory, let’s come together to help each other, learn from each other, guide each other and make this world a better place to live by creating a safe space for the young minds ready to take on the whole world through our support and their enthusiastic spirits.

Written by Preeti Sehrawat

UGC NET qualified assistant professor at grater Noida institute of Professional Studies and Ex-student of commerce at Delhi university. I help students to create a safe space for themselves in this chaotic world.