Life changes and expectations in first year of university pose additional challenges for this new phase that in itself can be difficult. Colleagues and friends from high school followed for other areas is most cases, what is done from now on will almost always dictate the professional life and will also affect other areas of life. Remember that the important thing is to live in the present moment, believe in your potential and have a positive attitude . A new, challenging, and demanding context Upon entering university, it is normal for stress and anxiety levels to increase . After all, we are talking about a transition phase in the life of any student, which will now start a long way and make their expectations and future professional projects depend on their higher education course. The university is a rich for challenges and opportunities, and it is necessary for students to be able to maintain the balance between their motivations and personal interests and the demands of the new environment they attend. And if contexts of change are perceived by some students as an opportunity to promote their personal development skills, for others they represent an exacerbated anxiety and competitiveness, which favors situations that cause stress. As university is a new context with situations of greater demand, responsibility, and autonomy, it is understandable that new students do not have a repertoire of adequate responses to deal with all the sources of stress . And there are numerous sources of stress that the student may have associated with the university environment in this new phase of life, for example: Anxiety at the time of exams / evaluations or when presenting work reports; Social anxiety motivated by a new group of peers and the feeling of belonging; Leaving parents house or moving to another city; Afraid to fail; Pressure to make a career decision for life. What is stress and how it manifests We can define stress as the response of our body to an event or situation of pressure in our life. Each person deals with stress differently, so it can affect us also differently. The symptoms of stress are diverse , it can be psychological, behavioral, and physiological changes, such as: Physical symptoms : reduced energy levels, fatigue, weight variations, headaches, muscle tension, insomnia, tachycardia; Behavioral symptoms : changes in appetite, nervous tics; Emotional symptoms : anxiety, sadness, depressed mood, excessive irritability, feelings of low self-esteem, social isolation, inability to relax, pessimism; Cognitive symptoms : persistent concern, altered attention or concentration, forgetfulness and disorganization. How to reduce and manage stress The strategies that each person can use to reduce and manage stress are diverse. In general, the following can be achieved with good results: Always set realistic and achievable goals; Hierarchize your priorities; Face difficulties as a learning opportunity, to improve your creativity and resilience; Share what you feel; Build relationships based on empathy and mutual aid; Be tolerant of yourself and recognize your skills; Practice physical exercise on a regular basis and maintain healthy habits and lifestyles, which include healthy eating and restful sleep; Reserve time for recreational and leisure activities. Professional help can be crucial Many students are not able to control alone their stress symptoms. Therefore, if you feel distressed or upset, it is important to seek professional help , usually with clinical psychologist . These professionals intervention has shown positive results in the management and control of stress, helping to have a more realistic perspective of the impact that a given situation has on our lives. If you need to, seek help . Author : Marta Barroso Meet the psychology team from Hospital da Luz network The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
