2008 Woodie Awards
40 percent of students have anxiety
By: Samantha Gasco
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: News
Everyone feels stressed at one point or another - especially as the end of the school year approaches.
It is how the stress is handled that determines how helpful or harmful it can be, said Ross Rapaport, CMU's Counseling Center director.
A recently-released survey conducted by the Associated Press and MTVU showed four in 10 college students said they endured stress often, while nearly one in five reported feeling stress most, if not all of the time.
"The last half of the spring semester may be very stressful for students, faculty and staff," Rapaport said. "Often there are many class assignments, projects to complete along with exams and conflicts in interpersonal relationships."
The survey also found that more than 25 percent of the students said they sometimes thought they should cut down on drinking or going out. Another 33 percent said they would resort to using drugs or alcohol to relax.
Edison Media Research surveyed 2,253 undergraduate students between 18 and 24 years old at 40 randomly chosen four-year universities. The margin of sampling error was 3 percent.
Rapaport said stress is defined as the way one's mind and body reacts to any situation that is new, threatening or exciting.
Stress is not always a bad thing, he said. However, he said, it still is important to learn self-care and stress management strategies.
Detroit junior Tabitha Smith said she mostly gets stressed at the beginning of the school year.
"It's always hard to get back into the swing of things after a break," she said. "I try to stay organized to prevent myself from feeling stressed."
Smith said she relieves stress by reading her Bible or exercising.
"Stress brings your body down," she said. "You have to relieve it somehow or talk to someone because it can take a toll on you."
Rapaport said it is important to get adequate rest, eat a healthy diet, exercise and take time for social activities and spiritual practices.
It is how the stress is handled that determines how helpful or harmful it can be, said Ross Rapaport, CMU's Counseling Center director.
A recently-released survey conducted by the Associated Press and MTVU showed four in 10 college students said they endured stress often, while nearly one in five reported feeling stress most, if not all of the time.
"The last half of the spring semester may be very stressful for students, faculty and staff," Rapaport said. "Often there are many class assignments, projects to complete along with exams and conflicts in interpersonal relationships."
The survey also found that more than 25 percent of the students said they sometimes thought they should cut down on drinking or going out. Another 33 percent said they would resort to using drugs or alcohol to relax.
Edison Media Research surveyed 2,253 undergraduate students between 18 and 24 years old at 40 randomly chosen four-year universities. The margin of sampling error was 3 percent.
Rapaport said stress is defined as the way one's mind and body reacts to any situation that is new, threatening or exciting.
Stress is not always a bad thing, he said. However, he said, it still is important to learn self-care and stress management strategies.
Detroit junior Tabitha Smith said she mostly gets stressed at the beginning of the school year.
"It's always hard to get back into the swing of things after a break," she said. "I try to stay organized to prevent myself from feeling stressed."
Smith said she relieves stress by reading her Bible or exercising.
"Stress brings your body down," she said. "You have to relieve it somehow or talk to someone because it can take a toll on you."
Rapaport said it is important to get adequate rest, eat a healthy diet, exercise and take time for social activities and spiritual practices.
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