5 Resources for Reducing Stress in College Students
Find the right solutions and tools to cope with anxiety about the transition from high school to college so that you can flourish and graduate on time.
Pacific’s Office of Student Support understands that success in college means much more than just grades in the classroom. From food security to mental health services, Pacific’s trained professionals create a nurturing environment for all students.
Embarking on your first year of college can be an exhilarating journey full of fresh experiences, new perspectives, and personal transformation.
Though with that excitement can also come new challenges, and learning how to deal with college stress and anxiety is essential to thriving during the transition from high school to college, and beyond.
Whether it’s academic stress, homesickness, or a general feeling of being overwhelmed, stress in college students can manifest in many ways.
Thankfully, most campus environments are well-equipped to help first-year students navigate their transition to life on campus and include professional counseling, robust tutoring, and a suite of student organizations.
Explore stress management and anxiety reduction strategies for college students and discover how strong support systems help students succeed in and out of the classroom.
PACIFIC’S FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE
Pursue Mental Health Resources for College Students
The transition to college from high school can be hard for some, especially for those far from home or experiencing living on their own for the first time.
Those finding the change difficult can often struggle through their first-year, making it harder to envision themselves completing their degree on time.
Many universities have recognized the need for accessible mental health accommodations and care for first-year students in recent years.
Some common issues your university’s counseling center can help with include:
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Homesickness. At small private universities especially, students come from all over the world to attend classes and get their degree.
Professional counselors, like those at Pacific, can help students discover college homesickness coping strategies to ease the complex feelings from family separation.
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Depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety disorders among college students have become more common as they transition into higher education.
To better help students in crisis, Pacific’s Student Counseling Center hosts a 24/7 phone line for immediate support in a variety of languages and helps provide meaningful mindfulness strategies.
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Roommate disagreements. One of the biggest changes some students encounter is having to share a living space with someone they do not know very well.
Resident Assistants (RA’s) are present throughout a student’s first year, and are trained to help resolve issues and encourage community.
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Gender dysphoria. Students exploring their gender identity can find the added stress of their first year mentally overwhelming.
Pacific’s wealth of resources for LGBTQIA+ college students give people of all ages, backgrounds, and sexualities a space to find help and support.
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Trauma response. Events both on campus and around the world can cause undue stress in college students.
Campus security and counselors are available in response to these events and can provide help to students who are struggling.
By utilizing on-campus resources for mental health, first-year students can set themselves up for continued success throughout their college experience.
PACIFIC’S FOUR-YEAR DEGREE GUARANTEE
Take Control of Academic Stress
The more intense instruction and coursework at the college level can take some first-year students by surprise, causing them to fall behind and have trouble graduating on time.
To combat this, students at many universities receive help before even setting foot in a classroom through professional advising.
First and foremost, advisors help students choose the classes that will help them pursue their passions. But academic advisors can also help prevent burnout from heavy course loads by teaching students how to plan a balanced college class schedule.
Once in class, students can find support in the form of academic tutoring, a free service which allows students to help one another reach their goals collaboratively.
Academic support in college is present at every level, with instructors happy to facilitate accessibility accommodations in the classroom, meaning that your success is prioritized from the very beginning.
Find Safe, Diverse Spaces to Build Community
A sense of belonging is essential to continued success in college, and finding communities where students can flourish among their peers increases their likelihood of making it to graduation.
Contemporary university campuses are equipped with many ways to create culturally rich spaces to help reduce stress in college students from isolation and loneliness, including:
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Multicultural centers. Representing students who come from historically marginalized backgrounds, these institutions — like Pacific’s Student Multicultural Center — provide inclusive support to all who seek it out.
A large percentage of Pacific students have Hawaiian ancestry, and Nā Haumāna O Hawai‘i represents one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest cultural enclaves.
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Resources for first-generation college students. For many first-generation students, college can be an intimidating and sometimes alienating prospect.
Nearly 25% of Pacific undergraduates are first-generation college students, and support for them is at the forefront of Pacific’s mission.
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Safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ college students. As the rights of those identifying as LGBTQIA+ are increasingly threatened in some places, many higher education institutions provide a refuge for those who need a safe environment.
Equitable spaces for gender expression are an integral part of life at Pacific, with 32% of undergraduate and 25% of graduate students identifying as LGBTQIA+, a rate much higher than other small private universities.
Get Involved in College Clubs
Whether cultural, academic, or centered on advocacy, taking part in on-campus organizations is a great way to meet new people and form lifelong connections.
Cultural clubs — like the Black Student Union or Indigenous Student Alliance — help bring necessary discourse and perspective to every facet of university life.
Academic clubs not only allow students with similar interests to collaborate, but involves them in their field early on, resulting in rewarding career opportunities.
Additional clubs for sports, performing arts, and community service all result in a wealth of opportunities for first-year students to build relationships and find relief from college stress and anxiety.
Secure Your Future Through Financial Literacy in College
The first year of college is many students' first exposure to personal budgeting and financial planning. Tuition and other associated costs can be a source of stress in college students and the financial commitment can often feel overwhelming.
Financial literacy is being taught more frequently at universities to students — and their parents — as they embark toward their degree.
By helping students better understand how to budget for their education, more first-year students and first-generation students are finding themselves with less debt and are more prepared for life after graduation.
Are you ready to find your purpose at Pacific? Tour our Forest Grove campus and see how Pacific’s wealth of student resources provides support to encourage lifelong success.