Do not Compare: Tips to Help Cope with Stress
Take deep breaths and stay calm by using these and other methods to handle stress for college and beyond
Issue date: 4/22/09 Section: Graduation and Summer Preview
By Kristina Ogburn
Rotunda Reporter
May 9 is the date that the majority of seniors on Longwood's campus has highlighted in their planners, posted in Facebook and AIM statuses. As the day draws near, the anticipation grows. Seniors are forced to evaluate their time spent as an undergraduate and plan for a future in the "real world". Wheeler Lawn will seat anxious, soon-to-be graduates reflecting on the last four years of their lives. Sasha Gregory, interim wellness coordinator, assisted in providing helpful suggestions for seniors as their experiences at Longwood University come to an end.
Seniors are encouraged to set realistic performance expectations. Try to become realistic while planning for the future. As a new graduate, it is highly unlikely you will become a successful professional with a high paying salary in the next few years. Although the concept of living back home with parents or roommates may be difficult to grasp, this may be an outcome for some graduates. Experimenting with different kinds of jobs to gain a source of income and independence is a normal and can be helpful transition. Resisting comparisons of others will help ease the pressure of anxiety. As your friends and others around you are offered jobs and other opportunities such as admittance into graduate school, try not to compare your qualifications and skills with them. We are all different individuals with variations of experiences to offer. Explore the possibilities of finding your true identity and what works best for you.
Seniors are faced with other stressful situations besides the concept of school. Things such as paying off student loans, bills, and other financial obligations causes serve stress. Senior Tiffani Vasquez explained her concern of paying off back loans and thinking about what her next living situation will be after graduation. "I try not to think about it too much, it's not going to help the situation," said Vasquez. Anxiety is often placed on making good grades for the final semester or about maintaining a certain GPA in order to graduate. The best method of avoiding stress for these particular situations is to keep things in perspective. Use your time wisely and try to plan accordingly for your future. It is very important to realize we are not the only 2009 graduates at a university. Other scholars are competing for similar career options and opportunities. Vazquez strongly encourages seniors to post their resumes on career sites and use networking skills to find employment. She believes that every senior should understand not being able to find a job is not a personal problem. "It's mainly due to the economy and the job market is not that great right now".
Rotunda Reporter
May 9 is the date that the majority of seniors on Longwood's campus has highlighted in their planners, posted in Facebook and AIM statuses. As the day draws near, the anticipation grows. Seniors are forced to evaluate their time spent as an undergraduate and plan for a future in the "real world". Wheeler Lawn will seat anxious, soon-to-be graduates reflecting on the last four years of their lives. Sasha Gregory, interim wellness coordinator, assisted in providing helpful suggestions for seniors as their experiences at Longwood University come to an end.
Seniors are encouraged to set realistic performance expectations. Try to become realistic while planning for the future. As a new graduate, it is highly unlikely you will become a successful professional with a high paying salary in the next few years. Although the concept of living back home with parents or roommates may be difficult to grasp, this may be an outcome for some graduates. Experimenting with different kinds of jobs to gain a source of income and independence is a normal and can be helpful transition. Resisting comparisons of others will help ease the pressure of anxiety. As your friends and others around you are offered jobs and other opportunities such as admittance into graduate school, try not to compare your qualifications and skills with them. We are all different individuals with variations of experiences to offer. Explore the possibilities of finding your true identity and what works best for you.
Seniors are faced with other stressful situations besides the concept of school. Things such as paying off student loans, bills, and other financial obligations causes serve stress. Senior Tiffani Vasquez explained her concern of paying off back loans and thinking about what her next living situation will be after graduation. "I try not to think about it too much, it's not going to help the situation," said Vasquez. Anxiety is often placed on making good grades for the final semester or about maintaining a certain GPA in order to graduate. The best method of avoiding stress for these particular situations is to keep things in perspective. Use your time wisely and try to plan accordingly for your future. It is very important to realize we are not the only 2009 graduates at a university. Other scholars are competing for similar career options and opportunities. Vazquez strongly encourages seniors to post their resumes on career sites and use networking skills to find employment. She believes that every senior should understand not being able to find a job is not a personal problem. "It's mainly due to the economy and the job market is not that great right now".
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