As much fun as it is being a college student, sometimes we have to face the truth: we are bound to deal with stress. This is especially true for us Gusties.

“We always have a culture of go-go-go. The majority of us students are high-achievers and high-doers who are involved in a lot of things throughout campus,” Senior Physical and Health Education Major Derek Lieser said.

Dealing with stress is also important for us at this time of year, when classes are starting to become more difficult. An interesting truth of stress that’s important to note is its paradoxical nature.

“Everybody knows that everybody else is stressed out, and yet, everybody believes they are the only one who’s dealing with the level of stress they are dealing with,” Associate Professor in Health and Exercise Science Karl Larson said.

Not all stress is bad, however. There are both positive and negative stresses within your life. Positive stress is the chemical and mental change an athlete goes through right before engaging in activity. This stress allows him/her to perform at their peak. On the other hand, negative stress includes the cumulatively growing worries of homework and class assignments. According to Associate Professor in Health and Exercise Science Aaron Banks, when we chronically expose ourselves to negative stress, we increase our chance of developing detrimental effects like depression.

So what causes stress in the first place? One of the most common reasons why we develop stress is because we focus primarily on results. We focus on achieving the best possible grades and performing at the highest level. Sometimes we believe we can do everything perfectly. Stress is a result of chasing that perfection. This concept is echoed by Larson, who pointed out the perception-based nature of stress, rather than the common belief that stress is caused by external forces.

“The reality is a lot of how you choose to look at things influences the degree to which you experience that stress,” Larson said.

In other words, we are often responsible for our own stress.

There are two ways we can go about coping with stress. The first technique involves addressing the root of the problem, and is a form of self-reflection and self-organization. What is really causing you to feel this way? How do I feel when this happens? What is most important to me? Larson referred to this method of de-stressing as personality engineering. This involves establishing personal priorities, and gaining perspective on where those priorities fall within the context of your life. An important step in setting priorities is realizing that we cannot do everything perfectly.

“We can only do our best, our very best on only a few things. We have to decide as individuals what those things are going to be,” Larson said.

The second way we can go about coping with stress is by addressing the symptoms, rather than the cause. This involves lifestyle changes or engaging in leisure-based activities that have an instant stress-relieving effect. One of the best things we can do at Gustavus to reduce stress is to go outside and enjoy the beautiful campus. Ditch your shoes and run around with a buddy on one of the many grassy areas our campus has to offer. Break out the frisbee or the football, and make sure to note how fresh air feels and smells.

These activities elicit the feeling of play, a feeling we were all accustomed to as children. Banks made a point to slow down and take a seat in one of Gustavus’ unique Adirondack chairs.

“The whole point of that project and the chairs being on campus was to encourage people to go out and spend time in nature, because there are a lot of benefits of just being in nature. The chairs are used in all sorts of ways and I think the point is to get outside your normal everyday routine. Everytime you see a chair, it’s a great reminder to just stop and take a deep breath,” Banks said.

Make sure you take time throughout your day to stop and take a little a break. Banks referred to these recesses as fifteen-minute “mini-vacations.” Try to allot some time each and every day for such breaks, especially during extended studying periods. Study for an hour, take a little time to relax, and get back to work.

Another active way you can rid yourself of stress-like symptoms is to get your body moving. Walk around campus, or jog through the arboretum which has many stress-relieving characteristics to offer. I encourage you to explore the arboretum and stumble upon many of the meditation areas for yourself. If you cannot get outside, take a little walk around your dorm or through the halls of an academic building, or head over to Lund, and let all of your frustrations out through exercise.

Yet another way to reduce the build-up of stress: turn off your technology. Smartphones and gadgets have been steadily creeping into every aspect of our lives in recent years. Gusties are no exception. If we are not on our laptop, we are on our phone. If we are not on our phone, we are on our friend’s phone. If we can learn to ditch the technology every now and then, we can better cope with stress, because we have a way to isolate ourselves from what’s going on around us. A great way to do this is to make sure you keep your smartphone out of your bed when falling asleep.

Let’s not forget that we don’t have to deal with stress on our own. Sometimes talking through your internal struggles with others is one of the most effective coping strategies, whether that is with a friend or with a professional. Gustavus has a wonderful Counseling Center, whose staff are more than happy to discuss aspects of your life which may be causing you stress.

On a final note, the notion of breathing is at the center of all stress management and relaxation techniques. When you start getting a little anxious, focus your attention back to your breath. “All you have to do is sit down and focus on your breathing. Just think about how you’re breathing, listen to your breathing, and within 60 seconds your blood pressure will drop, your heart rate will slow, and your level of anxiety will curve,” Larson said.