What’s the matter, little buddy, you all stressed out? You got a big paper coming up or something? Well, cry me a river, that’s not the end of the world. Like getting one bad grade is going to ruin your whole GPA. Like getting a bad GPA is going to ruin your life, ha! Relaxxxxxxx, duuuuuuude. Everything’s gonna be a-okay-you’ll see!Let’s be honest with ourselves: it’s a known fact that everyone gets stressed from time to time. We are only human. But the trick is being able to cope with that stress, and allowing yourself to mellow out. It’s easy, trust me. Sit back and let ol’ Silks let you little hotheads in on a few “tricks of the trade.”

RECOGNIZING WHEN YOU’RE STRESSED Before you can even think about coping with stress, you have to know that you are stressed. Sounds like a no-brainer, right? I told you this was easy!

Director of Counseling Gaither Terrell is an invaluable resource when you are trying to cope with stress. Terrell lists the following as typical “stress indicators:” -Headaches
-Muscle Tension -Forgetfulness/Disorganization
-Lack of Concentration
-Snapping at your friends

“When I start losing my keys or missing appointments, that’s when I know I’m really stressed and need to slow things down,” Terrell says. “Everyone has a different way of knowing when they’re stressed.”

The bottom line: make sure you check yourself, before you wreck yourself. SLOW YOUR ROLL: DEALING WITH STRESS

When I’m stressed about schoolwork I usually hit the library (really hard, with my head) and get all my work done. Then when I get home I run a steaming hot bubble bath, throw a little classical guitar music on the Bose, light some scented candles, and let the Pinot gris flow. Mix that with some essential oils (lavender and valerian are two faves) and Silky is loose as a goose and ready to roll in no time!

“Everyone has a different response to stress,” says Terrell. “And most people have a particular pattern of stress response. It’s just important to make sure you are making smart choices when you’re trying to cope with stress.”

Even Guilford faculty members have to deal with a bit of stress from time to time. “I like to cut up lumber,” said Dean of Students Aaron Fetrow. “Yup. Split up wood to burn in my fire pit.”

“I listen to Jack Johnson,” said Assistant Professor of English Traci Connor. “There’s something about that music, you know? My family can tell when I’m stressed, too. They grab the Jack Johnson and bring me out a big glass of wine.”

Even Maintenance Supervisor Randy Rasmussen gets stressed from time to time during his busy work schedule. “I re-focus. Pull within my office. I call on my maintenance staff to figure out hot issues,” he says. “Communication helps.”

“Some people might want to go out and be with friends and laugh, while others might pull inward and try to get away from stimulation,” Terrell says.

There are good ways to get rid of stress and then there are the less-healthy ways, the “easy-way-outs.” Some examples are:

-Over drinking (example: drinking during the day; drinking alone)

-Overeating (ex: stuffing your face with chocolate like a little fatty)

-Turning to other substances

These solutions might seem appealing to many of you (you dirty little so-and-so’s!) but they can be DANGEROUS! I mean how embarrassing would it be to overdose on Oxycontin because you were worried about a Chemistry lab? Nerd! Better ways to cope with stress include:

-Going to the Gym (exercise releases endorphins, which helps relieve stress)

-Taking a walk in the woods (just to get away from it all)

-Enjoying hobbies (takes your mind off your stress agitators)

-Taking a yoga class (what the!)

-Organizing your workload a little better (rips work-related stress a “new one”)

-Making sure to get plenty of sleep (the ultimate relaxation)

WHEN TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL ASSISSTANCE Sometimes, stress can get too be just too much to handle.

“When you begin to feel immobilized, and you’ve tried things (to fix it),” Terrell says, “It’s probably time to reach out.”

So if your stress gets to be a little too much to handle, and you think it might be helpful to talk to somebody about it, check out the Counseling center in the basement of Founders, located right next to Health Services. They are very nice people, with very soft hands. Good luck!