5 Tips to Help Your Student Deal with Stress
By Jenna Parisi, Center for Cura Personalis
- Encourage your student to take care of their health.
Being active at least three days a week can really help elevate their mood. This might look like visiting the Rudolf Fitness Center, participating in intramurals, or jogging along Centennial trail. Encourage them to select a variety of nutritious foods, particularly during high-stress times. In addition, there are resources available on campus to support your student’s mental and emotional health needs if they need to talk to someone for extra support, such as Health and Counseling Services and the Center for Cura Personalis. As part of Gonzaga’s mission, we encourage our students to develop balanced and holistic lifestyles. (See the wheel below for a helpful visual that students can use to check in on how they’re doing in all aspects of wellness.)
- Help your student maintain healthy sleeping habits.
Sleep is something that most students would say they don’t get enough of. Help your student maintain healthy sleeping habits by creating a sleep schedule and reminding them of these times. A sleep schedule means waking up and sleeping at the same time every day – even on weekends. As well, gadget use should be avoided an hour before bedtime. Encourage your student to stop by the Center for Cura Personalis and pick up a sleep kit, which includes an eye mask and earplugs. And consider making your own sleep schedule so that you and your student can hold each other accountable.
- Listen openly to your student without judgment.
As a parent, it can be easy to want to give your student advice. However, sometimes they might not want to listen to what you have to say even if it is the right answer. Instead, they may need to come to a solution on their own. This builds resiliency when students learn how to rely on their own instincts to get through tough times! Listening to your student openly and affirming their experiences can be a way to offer support even if it feels like you aren’t helping solve the problem. It might also be useful for your student if you ask them what you can do when they are stressed to help them.
- Act as a positive-thinking role model for your student.
Feeling stressed can be contagious, and this can work both ways between you and your student. By looking at the brighter side of a situation and staying calm when interacting with your student this can also help reduce their own stress. If you can find the time to take care of yourself and maintain a positive attitude, your student will believe that they can do the same.
- Support your student in creating SMART goals.
When school feels overwhelming, your student might feel like it is impossible to complete all of the work they’ve got to do. However, goal-setting is a great way for them to realistically accomplish their tasks on time. Consider supporting your student in identifying their SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) goals and encourage them to continue working towards their goals. Little steps can take them a long way!
For more great wellness tips, students can check out the Student Health 101 online newsletter each month for interactive articles, videos, and more. And, stop by the weekly Health Hut on campus for information, giveaways, contests, and face time with staff and students about a variety of wellness topics.