First Year Student Messages

The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs

Stress

Stress is an inevitable part of life that can have both positive and negative effects on your feeling about yourself and others. You are probably going to go through a series of changes as you begin college that can be new and stressful. You will begin to deal with issues that haven't been as significant in your lives before, so you'll have to learn how to handle the stresses that go along with starting college. Here is some information that may help you when you are feeling overwhelmed:

Be aware of your body's STRESS SIGNALS

Examples: lower back pain, stomach aches, headaches, pain behind your eyes, having trouble sleeping, etc.

Find a way to relieve stress that works for you

Examples: writing, exercising, reading, drawing, meditating, getting a massage, etc.

Try to identify what it is that is stressing you and take steps to reduce it.

Focus on one thing at a time as to not get overwhelmed.

Nutrition plays a vital role in your total physical and mental well being.

Be aware of your nutrition, especially when you get stressed - some people tend to eat more junk food when overwhelmed, which only makes it worse.

Drinking alcohol or using drugs can increase you anxiety and affect your ability to study, concentrate or sleep.

If you are going to drink, be responsible and don't drink to relieve stress.
See our message on alcohol.

Get help if you need it.

Talk to friends, family or utilize the counseling services on campus:

Counseling Centers:

Rutgers College Counseling Center, 17 Senior Street and 8 Lafayette Street : (732)932-7884
Cook College Counseling Center, Cook College Center: (732)932-9150
Douglass College Psychological Services, Federation Hall: (732)932-9070
Livingston College Counseling Center, Tillett Hall: (732)445-4140
University College Office of Counseling and Student Affairs, 14 College Ave:
(732)932-8074
Camden Health Center, Student Center: (856)225-600
Newark Psychological Services: (973)353-5005

Peer Counseling Hotlines:

Scarlet Listeners, Peer Counseling and Referral Center, Bishop House, 3rd Floor: (732)247-5555
The Gatehouse (Douglass/Cook): (732)846-0957 and (732)856-3579
Lesbian/Gay Alliance Hotline, Rutgers Student Center: (732)932-7886

These are just suggestions how to be more healthy and to relieve stress. Do what you can to maintain a low stress environment.

For further information, check out our Answers to Stress Questions,