Dealing with stress during crunch time

Kelley Ware
Multimedia Coordinator

tress affects everyone. It is part of being

a living, breathing, functioning human
being. Some stress can be good since it
motivates action. However, when stress gets
overwhelming it becomes both unhelpful and
unhealthy.

The middle of the semester is the time
when stress becomes overwhelming to
students. Midterms, papers, projects, and
finals around the corner all add up to

large sources of stress for nearly anyone at
UNBC. This does not even take work, clubs,
and other responsibilities that are part of
university life into account. Signs of stress
may be knots in the stomach, a lump in

the chest, or a strange feeling as though
your head is on its way to exploding.

Stress can have significant negative
impacts on a person’s mental and physical
health if it gets too much to handle.

According to the Canadian Mental

Health Association (CMHA), prolonged
overwhelming stress can result in difficulties
sleeping, prolonged headaches, and illness.
It can have serious lasting effects on a
person’s physical and mental wellbeing.

Due to this, the CMHA has created strategies
to combat stress. These strategies include
identifying the cause of stress, simplifying
your life, talking about it to a friend, physical
activity, mindful exercises like yoga or

RE-ELECT

ALBERT
KOEHLER

FOR PRINCE GEORGE CITY COUNCIL

meditation, and enjoyable hobbies. By being
able to take your mind off the source of the
stress, you may be able to work through

the stress in a calmer and healthier way.

UNBC also recognizes the student stress
level during this time and tries to help
students actively combat stress. Normally
this occurs in Stress Buster activities in the
Wintergarden during exams. As well, UNBC
Counselling is always is always open and
has student-specific tips on their website.
There are many resources UNBC normally
has to help students out in times of stress.

This year; however, UNBC also has started one
more thing to help students combat stress.
November 3 kicked off the first annual Thrive
Week at UNBC. UNBC Student Life created

INVENTOR Registered several patents, like the first multi bit screwdriver
INSTRUCTOR Taught at various universities as a Professor in Engineering
LEADER Instrumental in launching the UNBC Environmental Engineering program
FOUNDER Long-time president of the Northern Technology & Engineering Society

(NTES) www.ntes.ca

ENTREPRENEUR Started 3 companies from scratch and developed them

to successful corporations

LOOKING FORWARD

UNBC Life 5

a week for mental health wellness and
awareness. This week-long event saw special
happenings all over campus for all five days.
These included talks from the CMHA; fitness
such as kickboxing, yoga, and tai chi; puppy
therapy; Silver Linings Playbook viewing
and discussion; and a Wellness Carnival

that hosted games and belly dancing.

Activities such as these are important to
engage in when stressed out. You may not
feel like you have time to participate, but
just five minutes of petting a puppy can
do wonders for your physical and mental
well-being in times of high stress.

Remember to follow the CMHA
strategies to keep stress at bay. You
will be happier and healthier for it.

Qww.AlbertKoehler.com