Stress
A student asked me: “As a software engineering student, I am constantly feeling stress. Lately I have difficulty to sleep and sometime feel angry for no reason. I am a good student but now I feel exhaust and could not concentrate on my study. I worry that I may fail the class and do not know what to do. Could you give me some advices?"
Answer: Many college students feel stress, especially during exam time. However it seems that you are suffering from serious stress and anxiety. It is very important to keep a balance between your studying and your life. Maybe you study too hard and worry too much. When feel stress, you should take a short walk around the school or go to a park to breathe some fresh air. Sometime, trees, flowers, grass simulate your senses and relax your mind. Since you have difficulty to sleep or often feel angry, you may need to exercises (walking, swimming, play ping pong, badminton or soccer etc.) to get your body moving and relaxing. Some doctors advise people to drink a lot of water to keep the body balance and function properly. Remember you must drink just water, NOT coffee, tea, or sugar water like Coca Cola etc. Your brain is strongly dependent on water to function properly, when it does not have enough water, you will get stressed both physically and mentally.
Try to see everything from the positive position not negative. Do not look at problems as obstacles that you cannot overcome but an opportunities for you to solve. You must focus on something that you have accomplished, not something that you have not finished. Sometime people look at small things that they have not finished then feel stress instead of being happy for things they have done. You should be fair to yourself by take time off each day to do something that you enjoy such as read a good book or a good article etc. When you feel stress, take fifteen minutes to relax, keep your mind on something that you enjoy or listen to music, but choose the soft music or classical music (such as Bach, Mozart or Vivaldi) NOT Rock and Roll (Too noisy and disturb your mind).
You may want to create a good daily habit of doing something nice for people that you love. An appreciation of your parents, say thank you to your brothers or sister, helping your friends at school or any act of kindness to anybody that you meet. It may be a small thing but it help build your character because anything that you can bring happiness to others, you will receive the same thing to yourself. Last advice: Smile often then you will feel more happier and less stress.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
