The lasting effects of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks mixed with the finals season is causing an unusually high amount of stress for some ASU students.
"Students who were most at risk and were already struggling at the beginning of the semester with depression or another illness have become worse," said Dr. Kimberly Wright, the senior psychologist at the ASU Counseling and Consultation office.
"The stress of finals is only exacerbating the stress caused by September 11 and other concerns from earlier in the school year," she said.
This semester, which is being hailed as the "worst semester ever" by students and faculty alike, has left students feeling vulnerable and less in control.
"I wasn't able to have a strong foundation of grades built in the beginning because of so many distractions," said student Stephanie Putnam.
Finals stress can cause physiological symptoms in people which can include headaches, stomach aches, and fatigue. Students can make these worse by allowing underlying concerns to grow, not sleeping and either overeating or not eating enough.
"Students need to let go of the psychological expectations of perfect grades and have more realistic expectations," Wright said.
There are ways to de-stress during the last few weeks of school, though.
By simply maintaining as much of a normal routine by continuing to exercise, sleep and eat at regular intervals and by avoiding alcohol, caffeine and all-night studying can help reduce stress levels.
"I hate how finals are so spread out. Usually I never study, but now I have to," said broadcasting freshman Lindsay Wheeler.
If maintaining a routine is not possible, exercise or breathing techniques are helpful as well as positive imagery and meditation or prayer.
Wright said to avoid caffeine and other stimulants, including nicotine and effedra, which is found in many energy drinks and health food. Common energy drinks such as Red Bull and metabolife both include effedra.
