Tips For College Students On Dealing With Daily Challenges

When it’s time to set off for college, there are a lot of emotions; making your way through the campus, fitting in with new friends, and making the grade. It can be very overwhelming, even if you’re in your last year of school. Challenges arise and so do situations in which you may be tempted to turn to bad decision making in order to cope with daily stressors.

Making positive choices is the best way to ensure that you can be successful throughout your college career. Here are a few examples of issues that may arise and some positive coping mechanisms in which to handle these situations.

Stress and Anxiety

Checking the academic portal frequently to see if you’ve passed a test, or worrying about dealing with a forthright roommate can lead to added stress and anxiety.  That’s why it’s important to deal with problems as they come up in a healthy manner. Some ways to go about it include:

•    *Getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise or aerobic activity daily.
•    *Sleeping at least 8 hours every night.
•    *Eating a healthy diet and avoiding junk food.
•    *Connecting with a counselor through student services.
•    *Using positive coping mechanisms to work through anxiety and stress.

Stress and anxiety affects college students daily, and in some cases, it’s easy to turn to illicit drug use, prescription pills and alcohol to get through tough times. This isn’t the answer, and can greatly affect your lifestyle on campus, as well as your grades. You can easily be disqualified for scholarships and possibly be expelled from school and sports if you’re found with certain substances. If you feel you have a problem with substance abuse, contact your local rehab center for help. Similar to inpatient drug rehab center Utah-based facilities, a facility in your own area will be able to help you detox safely and give you the right tools for a complete recovery.

Social Issues 

Are you having a lot of peer pressure placed on you in college? Maybe you’re finding it hard to fit in with the group of kids in your dorm. No matter what the social issue is, it’s important to understand that many college students experience the same thing. Social issues can quickly lead to feeling anxious and frustrated with your college experience. There are a few ways to try to get past this problem and turn your anxiety into something positive, such as:

•    *Joining more social groups at the college.
•    *Volunteering on and around your campus.
•    *Connecting with your professors and discussing your obstacles.
•    *Staying in touch with family and friends from home.

Social issues can lead to isolation and sometimes destructive behavior, such as over or under eating and sleeplessness. Don’t let anxiety cripple you. If it becomes an ongoing issue, talk to your family doctor right away about getting help.

Tuition Concerns

Another problem that some students face when they attend college is how they are going to pay for everything that school entails, notes Jeff Grabmeier from the Ohio State University. This ranges from books, computers, room and board, tuition, food and daily living expenses. The best place to start is with your school’s financial advisor. From there you will be able to sit down, review your financial aid package and determine if you’re getting the maximum of loan coverage for your living situation. Your advisor may offer tips, such as working on campus or borrowing certain materials in order to save money on your tuition costs. There are a lot of programs you may not realize are readily available until you ask about them or sit down and talk with a financial advisor face-to-face.

Daily Living Costs

Whether you’ve been saving up money, have student loans or your parents are helping you with tuition and housing expenses, it can still make it tough to make ends meet on your own. There are some ways that you can pinch pennies to make the dollar stretch each month, including:

•    *Sharing and preparing quick and cheap meals with your friends or roommates.
•    *Utilize a campus meal program to cut back on food costs.
•    *Ditch your car and use a bike or public transportation to get around town.
•    *Apply for extra scholarships to earn more money for tuition costs.
•    *Avoid going to clubs and bars. Take advantage of on-campus concerts and events instead.

Utilizing small things can actually save you big money in the future.

College doesn’t have to be a time of stress and high worry. Reach out for help if you’re feeling overwhelmed and utilize the resources readily available to you.

This is a blog post by Nancy Evans.