How to handle the pressure of finals and job hunting

Page 2 of 6

When a perceived threat or challenge arises (for example, in the guise of an essay, or having to give a presentation to your seminar group, or a meeting with the boss at work) the alarms bells ring. Stress can affect your feelings, behaviour and your physical well being. Common signs of stress are shown below. The signs of over-stress can be experienced at varying levels of intensity.

The greatest problems are encountered when the challenges or threats of university life habitually exceed your ability to cope and the symptoms continue. Under such circumstances the emotional and physical symptoms of stress can contribute to further stress and you enter a vicious, downward cycle.

In order to combat stress you need to identify your own signs of over-stress.