New Niche, Same Stress: School v. COVID-19

by Rachel Goldsborough

Welcome to the new (and hopefully temporary) era of online learning in response to the rapidly spreading coronavirus! 

Though every college student’s environment has changed as they are forced to hunker down in their homes or residence hall and tune in to Zoom, there is one thing that transcends these adjustments: stress. Now, though, it includes stress from school and the impacts of COVID-19, including an overwhelming amount of media and emphasis on social isolation. I don’t know about you, but frankly, I am tired of focusing too much on the facts and stats of coronavirus. Right now, I simply want to discuss how you can tell if those facts and stats, as well as this online semester, is getting to you, and some methods you can use to conquer your stress.

Though most students claim to be aware of their stress, they may not know to what degree their stress is truly impacting them. In general, everyone responds differently to stress, but adolescents and college students are among a group that are much more susceptible to respond more strongly to stressful situations. Following are some general signs of long-term stress:

• Feeling numb, disbelief, anxiety, or fear from:
  • Concern for loved ones contracting COVID-19 (especially if they are part of a high-risk group) 
  • Saying goodbye to friends on campus and moving back home
  • Online class structures 
  • School work (exams, homework, studying, etc.)
• Change in routine: Though we lived at home for years before college, this doesn’t mean the move back after having some independence isn’t difficult:
  • Change in appetite 
  • Change in energy/activity levels (especially if we cannot leave our homes)
  • Shift in sleep habits (especially if people are in different time zones)
• Difficulty concentrating and sleeping
• Nightmares, upsetting thoughts and images 
• Physical reactions: headaches, body pains, stomach problems, skin rashes
• Worsening of chronic health problems 
• Anger, shorter temper 
• Increased substance use (alcohol, tobacco, other drugs)

In short, the stress we experience from school (and a pandemic) can be extremely detrimental to our health, which is why a lot of the articles giving advice on how to deal with the stress of coronavirus list self-care as a priority. Here are a few ways you can better cope with the current negative environment:

Quick “Fixes”:

• • Breathing exercises: a number of breathing exercises can be found online; provided is a link to WebMD’s suggestions:
    • https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-relief-breathing-techniques#1
  • Mental imagery and meditation: settle in a quiet, comfortable place and take the time to recall a particularly happy memory and the sensory experiences you associate with it (smells, tastes, sounds, etc.)
  • Call a friend or loved one 
  • Listen to music 
  • “Fact vs. Fiction” writing exercise: write down the facts of the situation and feelings you are drawing from them. What is the best course of action to address these feelings? How realistic are they in terms of the situation? 

In under an hour:

• • Move. Likely, you’re sitting at a desk all day staring at a computer screen; take a break and:
    • • Go for a walk 
      • Dance
      • Stretch 
      • Find some at-home workouts you can do- here are a few examples:
        • https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/the-7-best-at-home-workout-routines-the-ultimate-guide-for-training-without-a-gym/
  • Take a shower or bath to relax and clear your head  
  • Write on it- don’t suppress your emotions. Instead, do your best to describe what you are experiencing in order to reappraise your feelings.
  • Clean your room or house: while you’re home, reorganize a space for yourself where you can get your work done in peace

Nutrition for Stress: some foods have been linked to reductions in stress and anxiety

• • Foods: yogurt, berries, green tea, almonds, omega-3 foods (salmon, shrimp, kidney beans) 
  • Supplements: vitamins A and D, omega-3, L-theanine, magnesium 

Though we are all facing new levels of stress whilst on lockdown in our houses on top of the normal, everyday stresses that school has to offer, there are still plenty of ways we can rise above our worries and continue persevering. 

If you are looking for other ways to learn about and deal with stress, check out mindbodysoulbc.com/mind, which provides both videos and podcasts on stress as well as time management, resilience, and mental health. Then, pick any of the listed challenges to improve any of these four areas (and possibly reduce the stress of your at-home learning experience!).

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More Resources

CDC:

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fabout%2Fcoping.html
• https://emergency.cdc.gov/coping/selfcare.asp

Greatist:

https://greatist.com/health/how-to-cope-with-anxiety?utm_source=Sailthru%20Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=daily&utm_content=2020-02-28&apid=#do-this-now

7 Ways to Cope With Coronavirus Anxiety:

https://theconversation.com/7-science-based-strategies-to-cope-with-coronavirus-anxiety-133207