Stress is defined as strain and pressure from physical, chemical, emotional, or environmental factors, resulting in increased tension or “wear and tear” on the body. Sometimes stress can serve as a positive force, improving our performance and increasing our productivity. Too often, however, the stresses of our lives leave us feeling drained and overwhelmed. Since…
Entering college and being consistently engaged in all that it has to offer presents a variety of challenges to students. Leaving home, family, and old friends behind and establishing a new “home,” with new friends, and even a new identity, can be difficult as well as exciting. Many students find themselves struggling with issues related…
Many students do not sleep well. Sometimes sleep problems are caused by factors outside our direct control, such as loud roommates, a medical condition, or living near a train track. More often than not, however, a student’s sleeping problem is caused by poor “sleep hygiene”, or poor choices about sleep that are within our control…
Sometimes students struggle with beliefs they have formed about how, when and with whom they should form a romantic relationship. Many students feel the need or urge to act on impressions they have formed from popular media and friends about relationships, and many times this leads to frustration and disappointment. So, we all may need…
Students are quite adept at the practice of cyber-relationships. Email, Snapchat, texting, gaming, Facebook, Twitter and other media have become popular communication methods for students, even replacing face-to-face contact for some. While such methods are appealing due to ease of use and apparent anonymity, students are often not aware of the potential problems that can…
Beginning college students face a challenge. They are leaving the nest, but often not quite ready to make their own way. Finding themselves in a totally new environment, students can often feel overwhelmed and panicky. The first few weeks on campus can be a lonely experience, as the reality of separation from home and family…
College students have many opportunities to meet new friends and develop enriching relationships. Such relationships can make the difference between a positive and negative college experience. It is important to know the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, and to know how to make choices to preserve the former and improve the latter. While no…
“Growing up” for some can be a painful experience, especially if their family background was unstable. In healthy families, members contribute to the physical, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being of each other, creating an environment that helps children feel worthwhile and valuable. In a dysfunctional family one or more family members experience unmanageable stress, which…
Understanding Grief and Loss Grief is a normal and natural reaction to loss. College students can experience many losses, from the death of a loved one to the loss of a significant relationship. Other losses can occur as students experience change. Symptoms of Grief and Loss Helping Others with Grief and Loss If you or…
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is an aspect of two of eight “intelligences” that are now believed to exist. For many years academic or analytical intelligence, that which is measured by many “intelligence tests,” was seen as the only or best kind of intelligence. Psychologists now believe there are several forms of intelligence, including musical, bodily-kinesthetic, logical-mathematical,…
