Stress Management, Test Taking & Test Anxiety
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Transcript Stress Management, Test Taking & Test Anxiety
By
Jane Maxwell
University Counseling Services
Counseling Services at Truman
No cost for counseling services
Services are confidential – It is your own personal
business; only with written consent can another
person know
Hours are basically 8:00 to 5:00 week days (except for
lunch)
Located next to Grim Hall, across from Magruder Hall
on Patterson Street; a little house
What We Offer
UCS offers:
Individual Counseling
Relationship or Couples Counseling
Groups
Consultations
Presentations
Educational Programming throughout the year
Reasons Students Seek
Counseling
Truman students come for counseling to assist with
many concerns
Depression & Anxiety
Homesickness
Stress Related Issues
Roommate Conflict
Relationship Difficulties
Suicidal Thoughts
Eating Disorders
Self-Harming
Family Problems
Academic Pressure
Sexual Orientation Acceptance
To Make an Appointment
Call UCS @ 785-4014 or stop by
For Information on our services and staff look at our
website at [email protected]
Also can friend UCS on Facebook
First appointment is a screening
30 minute talk with a counselor to discuss your concerns
and reasons for seeking counseling – not too in depth
Then set up for an hour appt with a counselor, or with a
group, or referred to other services
Our Staff and Approach
There are 5 licensed professionals
Clients are seen for a short length of time (4 – 6
sessions) or maybe a longer time (9 – 10 sessions)
The staff is friendly, understanding, and there for the
students
Individual appointments are usually every 10 days to 2
weeks
Crisis situations always take priority
Have an after hours crisis number for students if
needed 665-5621
after 5:00 pm and weekends
Stress- Why Is It Important to
Talk About?
Stress is the “wear & tear” on our body as we adjust to a
continually changing environment
It is the fight or flight response
Present when there is an element of performance or
expectation – OR a threat!
Can Be either:
Positive and protective
Negative and destructive
Positive & Negative Stress
Positively stress can: Motivate us to be aware, better
prepared, and open to new challenges and experiences
Negatively stress can: Lead to constant worry, health
problems, anger & discouragement, and a decrease in
performance
Stress for College Students
Sources of Stress
Personal & Family High Expectations
Academic and Social Demands
Relationships – Romantic or Friends
Family Problems at Home
Greek Fraternity & Sorority Pressures
Lack of Sleep
One of THE biggest problems with college life is a lack of sleep
due to STRESS
New study suggests stress about school keep 68% awake at
night… 20% of them at once a week
Affects of Stress
Symptoms of stress appear in many ways. Everyone
is different how they feel their stress – here are the
different ways:
PHYSICAL –muscle tension, low immune system,
colds, flu, digestive problems, problems sleeping,
headaches, low energy
EMOTIONAL – depression, anger, fear or anxiety,
feeling overwhelmed, moods swings, irritability,
embarrassment
More Affects
COGNITIVE – difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness,
critical self-criticism, unwanted or repetitive thoughts,
mental disorganization
BEHAVIORS – impulsive actions, crying, over eating
or not eating, snapping at friends, isolation,
nervousness, increase of alcohol or other numbing
substances, total lack of ability to function as needed
Identify Sources of Stress
Consider 3 factors that contribute to Stress
Situations
Body
Mind
Stress Effects
Stress is Powerful
It creates big effects
What contributes to
Your Stress?
Source
SITUATIONS – What situations cause stress for you?
Taking exams
Giving a speech
Being in a large group
Roommate problems – dorm life
Writing papers
Everybody is different and has different triggers
Source
BODY – What changes happen to your body when
stress hits?
Chronic stress can cause headaches, muscle tension
Stomach aches
Migraines
Insomnia
Tight chest, feelings of panic
Learn to know how you experience stress
Source
MIND – The mental message you tell yourself are
POWERFUL
Negative Messages –
If I don’t get an A, I am a failure
I always have to be and appear perfect
If I don’t do well, my family will be so disappointed in me
Positive Messages –
I’m studying hard and doing the best I can
I will do well because I know I tried
I am a worthy person whether I get perfect grades or not
Your Stress
Keeping a stress journal or just being more aware can
help – Ask yourself…
What caused the stress?
How did I feel both physically and emotionally?
How did I react and respond?
How did I help myself to feel better?
As you are more aware you will begin to see patterns &
common themes
Unhealthy Coping
These are unhealthy ways to cope with Stress:
Drinking or eating too much
Zoning out with TV or video games
Lashing out at others – blaming others for everything
Withdrawing from people & skipping class
Procrastination
Avoiding facing real problems
Managing Stress
Change the Situation or Change Your
Reaction
Change the Situation:
Avoid the Stressor
Alter the Stressor
Change Your Reaction:
Adapt to the Stressor
Accept the Stressor
Stress Management Strategies
Here are 6 ways to Manage your Stress
Strategy # 1. Avoid Unnecessary Stress
Learn to say “no”
Avoid people who stress you out
Take control of your environment
Avoid hot-button topics
Cut down your to-do list
More Strategies
Strategy # 2. Alter the Situation
Express your feelings instead of bottling them up
Be willing to compromise
Be more assertive
Manage your time better
Strategy # 3. Adapt to the Stressor
Reframe your problems
Look at the big picture
Adjust your standards
Focus on the positive
Strategies
Strategy # 4. Accept the things you cannot change
Don’t try to control the uncontrollable
Look for the upside
Share your feelings
Learn to forgive & give others some slack
Strategy # 5. Make time for fun and relaxation
Set aside relaxation time
Connect with others
Do something you enjoy everyday
Keep your sense of humor
Last Strategy
Strategy # 6. Adapt a healthy lifestyle & habits
Exercise regularly
Eat a healthy diet as often as possible
Reduce the caffeine & sugar
Avoid excesses – alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, etc.
Get enough sleep to function day to day
Seek help from a friend or counseling if needed
Learn to Relax
Find ways to help yourself relax
Many people go non stop and don’t know how to relax
Realize the negative self-talk and interrupt this process
telling yourself positive messages
Talk it out with someone – a friend, SA, trusted
mentor, or professor
Just being heard and understood can help
Step back and get perspective – In the scheme of
things is this worry & stress worth it?
Suggestions to Cope
Deal with one thing at a time and try not to be a
perfectionist
Work out at the Rec., go for a walk, run, yoga – find
exercise you enjoy
Listen to your favorite music
Take time to laugh, watch a comedy, great comedian?
Take a shower or bath
Write your thoughts in a journal
Other Ideas? What helps you when you are stressed?
Learn The Relaxation Response
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Sit quietly in a comfortable position.
Close your eyes.
Deeply relax all muscles, beginning at your feet and progressing up to your
face. Keep all muscles relaxed.
Breathe through your nose. Become aware of your breathing. As you breathe
out, say the word, "one" silently to yourself. For example, breathe in...out,
"one," in...out, "one," etc. Breathe easily and naturally. You might also say the
words "calm" or "let go" as you exhale.
Continue for 5 to 10 minutes. As you feel yourself relax, you could try to
visualize your favorite place -- a beach, lake, mountain stream, etc. Try to
picture it in detail and recall feelings of peace and contentment while being
there.
Do not worry about whether you are successful in achieving a deep level of
relaxation. Maintain a passive attitude and permit relaxation to occur at its
own pace. When distracting thoughts occur, try to ignore them by not
dwelling upon them.
Relaxation
Time Management
Good Time Management is associated with college
success & satisfaction
It can reduce the anxiety levels and make college more
enjoyable
Consider These Steps:
Plan
Prioritize
Schedule
Planning
Planning can increase your effectiveness and decreases
your stress
Start by looking at the entire semester and what to
plan for with assignments, social demands, etc.
Then scale it down to each week or smaller chunks of
the semester (beginning, mid-terms, end & finals)
Develop a plan for the semester, then for each week
Prioritize
Take a look at all your assignments, deadlines and
demands
Make decisions on what is a priority – This is a
constant ongoing process of looking at what is coming
next and how does it rate in importance
Include time for the life stuff: meetings, laundry, job,
errands, meals
Be realistic with yourself and allow enough time
Schedule
Identify how you will approach and accomplish all
these tasks
Think about how much time you will need and how
many hours needed to study
Break some of the assignments down into smaller jobs
– for example researching, writing, & editing a paper
Adjust and monitor constantly
Time Wasters
Identity where, how, & when you are wasting time
E-Mail
Internet Games, Video Games
Facebook
Phone Calls
Problems with Procrastination
When do you work the best? Morning, night? When is
the best time for you to plan to study?
Keep Yourself Accountable
Try to keep on your time management schedule
Don’t beat yourself up if you get off track
Jump back into your plan and routine
Allow yourself to be human which means you will
make mistakes occasionally
Check out the Truman Success Center in the Kirk Bldg.
for academic setbacks and difficulties
Call UCS for assistance if you become overwhelmed