Coping with Overwhelm
You have three exams in one week and feel like there’s too much to study. You decide to break down your study material into smaller sections to manage your time better.
What is chunking?
ou start worrying about an upcoming exam, but instead of letting your mind spiral, you focus on what you’re doing right now.
Lately, you’ve been feeling down and unmotivated. You make an effort to eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep each night.
What is maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
You’re feeling stressed and decide to use an app that guides you through a meditation to help you relax.
What is Calm or Headspace?
A friend is in crisis and you don’t know how to help. You suggest they call this hotline for immediate support.
What is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline?
You have a busy week with assignments and a part-time job. To stay on top of everything, you create a detailed daily schedule.
What is planning and prioritization?
You’ve been feeling anxious all week. You decide to go for a 30-minute jog to clear your mind and reduce stress.
What is exercise?
You find yourself thinking, "I'll never pass this class." Instead, you challenge this thought and remind yourself of past successes.
What is cognitive restructuring?
feeling overwhelmed by everything on your plate, you decide to talk things over with a campus counselor.
What is a counselor or therapist?
You’re feeling stressed about balancing your classes and health. You visit this campus service to get connected with the support you need.
What is the student wellness center or health services?
After studying for two hours straight, you start to feel mentally drained. You decide to take a 10-minute walk to clear your mind.
What are study breaks?
Your anxiety about school is becoming overwhelming, so you schedule an appointment to talk it through with a professional.
What is therapy or counseling?
You’ve been isolating yourself and feel even more depressed. To combat this, you join a campus club to meet new people.
What is combating social isolation?
You’re struggling emotionally and academically, so you visit this campus resource for counseling and support services.
What is the university counseling center?
You’re struggling with a tough assignment and decide to visit your professor during these to get advice.
What are office hours?
You’re struggling to understand a tough subject. Instead of stressing out, you join a study group that meets twice a week.
What is seeking academic support?
To help calm your anxiety, you spend an hour drawing and coloring, focusing on the creative process.
What is engaging in a hobby?
ou’ve been feeling consistently low and decide to see a doctor, who prescribes medication to help stabilize your mood.
What are antidepressants?
Feeling anxious before a test, you practice a breathing exercise where you inhale, hold, and exhale for four seconds each.
What is box breathing?
you’ve been feeling isolated, so you join a campus group where students share their experiences and support one another.
What is a peer support group?
The night before a big presentation, you feel anxious and can’t focus. You decide to practice deep breathing and visualize yourself succeeding.
What is relaxation or mindfulness meditation?
Before bed, you can’t stop thinking about everything that could go wrong tomorrow, so you write your worries down in a journal to clear your mind.
What is journaling?
Every night, you list three things you're grateful for, which helps lift your spirits and combat negative thoughts.
What is practicing gratitude?
You notice that your thoughts are often negative and unhelpful, so you work on identifying and changing them through a specific therapeutic approach.
What is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)?
You’re having trouble managing your course load and personal life, so you reach out to this person for guidance and support.
What is an academic advisor or faculty mentor?