Feeling stressed out?
 Sander Deeth, a student in the Faculty of Education, says stress is a fundamental part of university life.New clothes, new shoes? Check. Trip to the office supply store for notebooks, calculators, pens, laptop? Check. Visit to the bookstore for textbooks? Check. Bad case of nerves? Double check.
Whether it’s your first year, or if you’re a returning student—even if you’re faculty or staff—the first weeks of a new school year can bring on feelings of tension, stress and anxiety. What you may not know is that you’re not alone.
Believe it or not, almost everyone suffers from stress at the beginning of the school year, and it doesn’t come from just one area. According to Sander Deeth, a second-year Master of Science student in the Faculty of Education, it’s everywhere.
“Anxiety is fundamental to the experience at university,” explains Deeth. “It’s in relationships with peers and with faculty, it comes from outside, it’s in the course work . . . ‘do I have to do a presentation, do I have to speak in class?’ It’s fundamental and it’s absolutely normal.”
Deeth’s supervisor, Dr. Sharon Cairns, the Faculty of Education’s Chair in Educational Psychology, echoes her student’s findings. “Sander is absolutely correct. Stress is ubiquitous and coping is key. Stress is not a problem when we believe we have the resources to cope; in fact, we may not even be aware of the stress. Where we encounter difficulty is when we perceive we do not have the required resources. It is at this point that we need to implement coping strategies and/or seek additional supports.”
New and returning students have access to support through the U of C Students' Union Wellness Centre’s Counselling Centre; more information can be found by visiting www.ucalgary.ca/counselling or by calling 403.210.9355.
So, as you’re finding your way through class schedules and papers and presentations and new and old friends and relationships this fall, you may see Sander Deeth on campus. She’ll smile and say hi—and remember—she knows just how you feel.
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September 7, 2010