Stress

What Is Stress?

Stress is something that all university students deal with. It occurs when the demands on a person exceed their ability to cope. Stress can be caused by many things – the most obvious for university students are examinations and assignment deadlines, work, problems with friendships and relationships, financial problems, perfectionism and balancing studying and life. However, positive events such as a new relationship, and starting a new university year can also cause stress.

Symptoms of Stress

 

We can experience stress in various ways:

  • Thoughts: One’s thoughts can become distorted so that we blow things out of proportion and think that the worst thing will happen. We can also worry excessively. 

  • Feelings: A person can feel irritated, tense, frustrated, and nervous. 

  • Behaviours: One can become short with others, cry, or take our frustrations out on things or other people. Appetite and sleep may be disturbed. They could also start to avoid situations that cause us stress, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs to cope.

  • Physical: Muscle tension, headaches, stomach problems, restlessness, increased heart rate, and increased breathing rate.

Coping with Stress

Managing stress is a key part of staying healthy, focused, and successful at university. By developing long-term strategies and habits, you can reduce daily pressures, improve overall well-being, and build resilience for both academic and personal challenges.

  • Plan and prioritize:  Use calendars, to-do lists, or apps to organize tasks and avoid last-minute pressure.
  • Break tasks into smaller steps: Tackle assignments or studying in manageable chunks to reduce overwhelm.
  • Build physical activity into your routine: Regular exercise helps release tension and supports mood.
  • Maintain social connections: Spending time with friends, peers, or support groups can buffer stress.
  • Practice relaxation techniques: Try deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or progressive muscle relaxation.
  • Establish consistent routines: Regular sleep, meals, and study schedules provide stability.
  • Take regular breaks: Short breaks during study sessions improve focus and prevent burnout.
  • Set realistic goals: Use SMART goals to create achievable objectives that support both academics and well-being.

Dealing with Stress in the Moment 

Even when deadlines, exams, or life feel overwhelming, there are simple techniques you can use right away to calm your mind and regain focus:

  • Slow, deep breathing: Pause for a few minutes and focus on slow inhales and exhales to reduce tension.
  • Grounding exercises: Notice five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste to bring yourself into the present moment.
  • Brief movement or stretch: Stand up, roll your shoulders, stretch your neck, or take a short walk to release built-up tension.
  • Step back from the task: If possible, step away for a few minutes—making tea, listening to music, or changing your environment can help reset your focus.
  • Positive self-talk: Remind yourself that feeling overwhelmed is temporary and that you can handle tasks one step at a time.
  • Mini mindfulness breaks: Even 2–5 minutes of guided breathing or meditation can reduce immediate stress and improve clarity. 
Stress and Mental Health

Feeling stressed is a normal part of university life, but when stress becomes persistent, overwhelming, or starts to affect your mood, relationships, or daily functioning, it can impact your mental health. Chronic stress may contribute to anxiety, depression, irritability, or difficulty concentrating.

It’s important to recognize when it’s time to seek professional support. Early help can prevent stress from escalating and provide strategies to manage both short- and long-term mental health challenges. These are some of the supports available:

WellU Resilience

WellU Resilience is an evidence-based self-paced course developed by Student Health and Wellness to help students learn to manage stress in healthy ways. The course features 8 modules with videos, slideshows, skill-building activities, resources and information to help students build resilience. In each module, participants will learn about and practice a habit/skill that has been proven to increase life satisfaction, happiness and resilience, which all correlate with success and improved academic performance.

To sign up: 

  • Go to MyCourselink (https://mycourselink.lakeheadu.ca)
  • Log in using your Lakehead username and password
  • Click the "Self Registration: Academic Support and Training" near the top-right of the page
  • Select "WellU Resilience" from the list
  • Follow the steps presented until it confirms that you've been registered
  • Complete the modules

If you would like the completed course to be added to your CCR- submit a request via mySuccess and send an email to activities.shcc@lakeheadu.ca

Resources
Apps