How do you study smarter?

1. Make a list of the most important things you need to learn, in order of importance, and hit the items at the top of the list first.

2. Make a list of all the work you have to do, estimate how much time each item will take, and compare that with the amount of hours you have available.

We often hear people say, "study hard and study smart". Actually a smart student he will mostly focus on "study smart". You know why? It is because if 1 person he only study hard, he keep on study, study and study but till the end, i am sure that he can't remember all the things he have read. But if he study smart, he save a lot of time just by finding the key words to remember, and research shows that it is what a smart student always do. So, we should actually do both together at once so that we could manage to scold a good result and achieve a higher level.

Reduce stress by creating a good study environment

I found that peppermint oil is known as stress reliever which can wake up our brain, so i do recommend we burning it as you study.

Also, Playing classical music can also sooth you and help you learn unless you find it distracting.

Actually this 2 ways are depends on one's personality. Maybe it is suitable for me, but not necessary you will like it. So you shall know your own personality deeply.

so, maybe you can have a try on these. =)

reduce stress?

In order to manage your stress you need to make some lifestyle changes. Here is a quick rundown of the simple changes you can make (as soon as today) to begin lowering stress levels.

• One of the simplest yet most effective ways to reduce stress is to eliminate caffeine from your diet.


• Elevated stress may cause weight gain so ensure you are eating a balanced diet and receiving plenty of exercise.
  


• The act of exercising greatly reduces the effects of stress on your body.
  


• Get enough sleep. Most adults do not get nearly enough sleep for the body to rejuvenate.
  


• Allow yourself leisure time to enjoy your hobbies like reading, sewing, or music.
  


• Try meditating or deep-breathing exercises.
  


• Allow yourself to have leisure time. Completely remove yourself from your environment, either for a few hours or for a real vacation.
  

Once you realize what is causing stress in your life, you can implement measures to control it. Controlling stress is not only important for your overall happiness and well-being, but for your health as well. Many serious diseases such as cancer are being linked more closely with stress, and scientists are finding new ways everyday that stress impacts our lives. Do not let stress get in the way of your own personal development.

The most important thing to keep in mind, though, is that stress is mostly self inflicted. This means you have the means within yourself, and in your life, to counteract the effects of stress or to remove it altogether.

~stay cool~

Stress manifests itself in various ways

• Physical Manifestations: You may find that you are uncomfortable much of the time, suffering from headache, fatigue, sweating, or trembling. You may suffer from stomach cramps or nausea, or find you are always sick. The most serious physical effects include chest pains and heart palpitations, often mimicking the symptoms of a heart attack.
  


• Mental or Emotional Manifestations: Depression is probably the most common mental symptom of stress. More and more, people are seeking out treatment for depression when a few lifestyle changes might take care of the problem.
  
  Other emotional or mental signs of stress include anxiety, frustration, irritability, indecisiveness, confusion, loss of humor, short temper, worry, nervousness, or a loss in concentration or memory.
  


• Behavioral: Any sudden change in behavior should be a signal that something is wrong. Some of the behaviors that may appear as a result of stress include crying, yelling, throwing things, smoking, drinking, eating, pacing, or other nervous behaviors such as nail biting.

S-P-E-E-D??

Hey, guys…I would like to share with u all about one thing-
>>How to avoid stress by finding our natural “SPEED”??

Well…
S is stand for Sleep,
Are u getting SLEEP enough??

P stand for Priorities,
Set our PRIORITIES since we cannot get everything done at once.

E stand for Empathy,
Find friend who empathize with u and let u be yourself .

E stand for Exercise,
Set and EXERCISE goal to give us satisfaction.

D stand for Diet,
Avoid sugary foods ,heavy meals, alcohol and caffeine.


~hope everyone can find our natural of SPEED and say "no" to stress!!

Sources of Stress in the University

One of the most comprehensive investigations was undertaken by Johnson(1978), who surveyed over 2,000 students regarding what they felt were sources of stress in the university. The following nine categories emerged from the data and they are outlined here because they are supported by the results of numerous other studies. They are listed in order of importance.

1. Instruction. Needed academic help, course requirements, problems with instruction or academic advisement, problem with concentration, difficulty in studying, test anxiety, unclear assignments.
2. Competition. Grade point averages, cheating, using the Bell Curve for grading.
3. Organization of time. Lack of personal leisure time, time for part-time work, time for a satisfying social life, time for studying.
4. Adjustment to college. Transition from high school to college, need for more personalized treatment, living away from home for the first time, how to deal with dissatisfaction's with the college.
5.Administrative problems. Registration procedures, red tape, finding out requirements for graduation, facilities, communication.
6. Social adjustment. Roommate conflict, social pressures involving sex, inter-racial tension, interpersonal relationships, adjustment to a new role with the family.
7. Finances. Insufficient funds, getting money from Financial Aid, inability to participate in social activities because of limited funds.
8. Housing. Overcrowding, lack of privacy, noise, worry about getting university housing.
9. Transportation. Parking problems, bus service, amount of time spent commuting.

The Five Main Causes Of Stress Among University Students

1. The new university environment
2. A lack of proper time management brings stress to students
3. Relationships problem among new friends and partner will bring stress to students
4. The competitive circumstances and exams
5. Parental pressure

Some early signs that you might be under too much stress

I found out these signs that one's might fall under too much stress :
~headaches
~sleeping badly
~loss of appetite
~being unusually bad tempered
~feeling tired all the time
~feeling sick

How to cope with exam stress??

I remembered the day before exam, I spent the whole night vomiting. I just remembered going into the exam, turning over the paper, and my mind just going blank. I just felt desperate. I wanted to be somewhere where I didn't have to worry about the exams- or anything else any more.

* Can I avoid getting stressed before an exam?
If your stress levels rise too high for too long, it can be harmful both to you and to your chances. Everybody's stress 'threshold' is different. A situation that is too much for one person to tolerate may be stimulating to another. Controlled at the right level, however, stress can work to your advantage, because it can help you to produce your peak performance.

* How do I minimise exam stress?
Exam bring out the best in some people, and the worst in others. Whatever the case, you may be saddled with doing them. Remind yourself that you can only do your best- and your best is all that you can do.
~Still, you may also plan a time table, being organized, learn some breathing techniques, physical activities, getting enough sleep, and also form a support group.

wh@t are the symptons of str3ss??

It is very important to learn how to recognize the symptoms of s-t-r-e-s-s. The most dangerous thing about stress is how easily it can creep up on you. You get used to it. It starts to feels familiar – even normal. You don’t notice how much it’s affecting you, even as it takes a heavy toll.

Do you have the symptoms as below?If have,please take good care of yourself and have a good rest on your body as well as your mind.


Cognitive Symptoms
~Memory problems
~Inability to concentrate
~Poor judgment
~Seeing only the negative
~Anxious or racing thoughts
~Constant worrying

Emotional Symptoms
~Moodiness
~Irritability or short temper
~Agitation, inability to relax
~Feeling overwhelmed
~Sense of loneliness and isolation
~Depression or general unhappiness

Physical Symptoms
~Aches and pains
~Diarrhea or constipation
~Nausea, dizziness
~Chest pain, rapid heartbeat
~Frequent colds

Behavioral Symptoms
~Eating more or less
~Sleeping too much or too little
~Isolating yourself from others
~Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities
~Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
~Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)


(adapted from http://www.helpguide.org)

How to Reduce Your Stress and be Excel in Campus?

As educational requirements get more toucher in higer levels of education, university students may experience academic and other stress. Here are some student stress relief tips that students can use to learn study skills, prepare for exams and minimize their school stress levels to make learning easier, happier and enjoyable.

Wish you good luck in your examination and have a blessing learning jouney!!


1. Get Enough Sleep

2. Study Smarter

3. Stay Calm

4. Manage Time Wisely

5. Get Organized

6. Create a Good Study Environment

7. Know Your Learning Style

8. Develop Optimism
9. Get Enough Sleep
10. Use Stress Management Techniques

11. Learn Assertive Communications Skills

12. Playing Games
13. Laughter
14. Take a Walk
15. Plant a Garden
16. Listen To Music
17. Eat a Balanced Diet
18. Learn Study Skills
19. Reduce Caffeine Intake
20. Drink green tea

wh@t are the factor cause str3ss??

There are numerous of potential factors causes stress among university students. In general, stress is related to both external and internal factors.

External factors include the physical environment, including our responsibility as a student, our relationships with others, our home, and all the situations, challenges, difficulties, and expectations we are confronted with on a daily basis.

Internal factors determine body's ability to respond to, and deal with, the external stress-inducing factors. Internal factors which influence our ability to handle stress include our nutritional status, overall health and fitness levels, emotional well-being, and the amount of sleep and rest you get.
However, anything that puts high demands on studies or forces us to adjust can be stressful.

Common external causes of stress :
_Financial problems
_Being too busy with assignments and activities
_Family’s problem
_Relationship difficulties
_Test anxiety
_Social stress

Common internal causes of stress :
_Inability to accept uncertainty
_Pessimism
_Negative self-talk
_Unrealistic expectations, perfectionism

wh@t is str3ss??

~In universities ,when we mentioned about assignments or presentations then the response coming out from lots of students will be S-T-R-E-S-S!!!

So,what is stress?

In fact,stress is a normal physical response from people towards excessive pressure or other demands placed upon them. The term "stress" was first used by the endocrinologist Hans Selye in the 1930s to identify physiological responses in laboratory animals. He later broadened and popularized the concept to include the perceptions and responses of humans trying to adapt to the challenges of everyday life. In Selye's terminology, "stress" refers to the reaction of the organism, and "stressor" to the perceived threat.

Universities life is full of rushing, datelines, frustrations, and demands. For many students, stress is so commonplace that it has already become a way of their lifestyle. Stress isn’t always bad. In small doses, it can help us to perform under pressure and motivate us to do our best. But,different individual may responds to stress in different ways as well as their environment. Because of the overabundance of stress in our universities lives, we usually think that stress as a negative experience, but from a biological point of view, stress can be a neutral, negative, or positive experience.
.

Tips Mentol:
>>The Body’s Stress Response
When you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones rouse the body for emergency action.
Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus – preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand.

(Adapted from website: http://www.helpguide.org)

Some other effects of stress.

-Behaviorally-
*Grinding of teeth, losing control, fidgeting
*Yelling and crying excessively, mood swings
*Forgetfulness, hard to concentrate, poor eating habits
*Become dependent on smoking, drinking and drugs


-Physically-
*Elevated blood pressure, heart attack
*Migraine headache, twitching eyes
*Stomachache, Ulcers, decaying teeth, fatigue
*Loss or gain weight, declined Immune system

Causes of stress among university students

As what Jean have written in the last few post- what are the factors cause stress, i totally agree with it. But i just wanna add some other causes and explanation. Those causes are :

1. Moving away from home - You find yourself in a whole new environment of people and classrooms sometimes states away.
2. Peer pressure - You are faced with decisions on drugs, sex, alcohol and smoking.
3. Illness/Injury - The common cold or flu can put extra on us. Injury due to accidents or sports may also make us miss work or school to put more of a financial and academic burden on us.
4. Family changes - If you are engaged, married, have children, pregnant or have a loved one in Armed forces at time of war this will also cause a substantial amount of stress.
5. Test anxiety - The transition from high school to university is not easy for a lot of students. You have to be self motivated and learn good study habits to get good grades.
6. Poor nutrition - A lot of university students eat unhealthy foods. They rely on fast food restaurants, microwave meals, and quick foods/snacks.
7. Sleeping habits - The human body in order to function properly needs on average between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each day.
8. Fear of failure - We come to university to achieve. The future is unknown and we are faced with many decisions and problems in and outside of university. Family, friends and society as a whole often add stress by expecting a lot out of us.
9. Finances - Some students don't have jobs or don't get paid enough from the ones they have. Some of us pay rent, utilities, car payments, car insurance, car repairs, life insurance and we also have to look forward to student loans.
10. Relationship - Boy friends / girl friends or husbands/wives need i say more. You also have stress when it comes to close friends and acquaintances. If you have trouble making friends this is also an added stress.
11. Pushing ourselves too hard - Trying to always be the best, straight A's, always win the challenge or game. Don't forget work and our social lives.
12. Death of loved one - Losing someone to death even if its not a family member but maybe a close friend, boy friend/girl friend, or even ex boyfriend/girlfriend can be devastating and take a long time to recover from.

What is stress all about??

Stress.. everybody will say they have stress, but do you really understand what is real meaning of stress? Feeling like there are too many pressures and demands on you? Losing sleep worrying tests and school work? Eating on the run because your schedule is just too busy? You're not alone. Everyone experiences stress at times- adult,teens and even kids.
What is stress? Stress is a feeling that's created when we react to particular events. It's the body way's of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation with focus, strength, stamina and heightened alertness. According to the University of Maryland Glossary of Medical Terms, stress is mental or physical tension that results from physical, emotion or chemical causes. Stress can come from good or bad experiences in our everyday lives. Your stress level will rise when u pay off your school loans or get a F on your mid term. Your body responds automatically to stress whether it is positive or negative, both physically and mentally. The physiological response is often to referred to as "fight or flight", which means your body either prepares to confront the tension causer or escape from it. A low level of stress is good to have in our lives, it keeps us motivated. Stress becomes harmful when we have a large amount of negative stress for a long period of time. Everyone has different stress levels, gains stress from different situations, and reacts to stress differently.
The events that provoke stress are called stressors, and they cover a whole range of situations- everything from outright physical danger to making a class presentation or taking a semester's worth of your toughest subject. The human responds to stressors by activating the nervous system and specific hormones. The hypothalamus signals the adrenal glands to produce more of hormones adreanaline and cortisol and release them into bloodstream. These hormones speed heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and metabolism. Blood vessels open wider to let more blood flow to large muscle gruops, putting our muscles on alert. Pupils dilate to improve vision. The liver releases some of its stored glucose to increase the body's energy. And sweat is produced to cool the body. All of these physical changes prepare a person to react quickly and effectively to handle the pressure of the moment. This natural reaction is known as the stress response. Working properly, the body's stress response enhances a person ability to perform well underpressure. But the stress response can also cause problems when it overreacts or fails to turn off and reset itself properly.
There are 5 basic anxiety questions:
1. Am i trying to do too much?
2. Am i asking my nervous system to do something which is too difficult?
3. Have i had enough sleep?
4. What is the state of my nutrition?
5. Am i suffering from some abnormal physiological state?

How to cope with stress?

1. When you feel stressed, practice taking long, deep breaths.
2. Take regular breaks from your work.
3. Get regular exercise. Shoot for a minimum of 20minutes three times per week.
4. Try to eat a healthy, balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables and get enough sleep.
5. Avoid caffeine, which is a stimulant.
6. Avoid depending upon drugs and alcohol to help you relax.
7. Learn time management and organization skills.
8. Use humor to lighten difficult situations.
9. Seek to find the positive in every situation. View adversity as an opportunity for learning and growth.
10. Do not bury your emotions.
11. Give compliments freely and smile often. You'll be amazed how the mood around you will change and how in turn you will feel better.
12. Learn to be more assertive - for example, not agreeing to things you know you can't do well or know shouldn't be your responsibility.
13. Find some quiet time to listen to music or relaxation tapes.
14. Don't worry about things you can't control.
15. Talk with a friends, family member or counselor.
16. Try to look at change as a positive challenge, not as a threat.
    

Stress Among University Students

What are the symptoms of stress?

Cognitive Symptoms

• Memory problems
• Inability to concentrate
• Poor judgment
• Seeing only the negative
• Anxious or racing thoughts
• Constant worrying

Emotional Symptoms

• Moodiness
• Tension
• Feeling excessively tired
• Irritability or short temper
• Agitation, inability to relax
• Sense of loneliness and isolation
• Depression or general unhappiness

Physical Symptoms

• Excessive tiredness
• Skin problems, such as eczema
• Aches and pains resulting from tense muscles, including neck ache and tension headaches
• Feeling sick
  
• Stomach problems
• A pounding heart
• Difficulty breathing
• Frequent urination
• Sweating palms
• Nausea, dizziness

Behavioral Symptoms

• Eating more or less
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Isolating yourself from others
• Irrational behavior
• Frequent colds
• Using alcohol, cigarettes or drugs to relax

Stress Among University Students

What are the factors cause stress?

• Major life changes
• Relationship difficulties
• Financial problems
• Being too busy
• Pressure to perform at university
• Family conflicts
• Love problems
• Inability to accept uncertainty
• Pessimism
• Negative self-talk
• Unrealistic expectations, perfectionism
• Withdrawing from university activities
• Arguments with friends
  

What Is Stress?

Stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can be good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.

Stress is the emotional and physical strain caused by our response to pressure from the outside world. Common stress reactions include tension, irritability, inability to concentrate, and a variety of physical symptoms that include headache and a fast heartbeat.

It's almost impossible to live without some stress. And most of us wouldn't want to, because it gives life some spice and excitement. but if stress gets out of control, it may harm your health, your relationships and your enjoyment of life.

About Stress

Some stress may help your body to prepare for certain challenges, so it's probably impossible to live without any stress. But too much stress, especially if it's day in, day out, can cause physical and emotional problems.

So that your body can respond almost instantly to challenges, many of its control mechanisms happen without you having to think about them. This involuntary control of things such as how fast your heart beats, is achieved by a network of nerves called the autonomic nervous system. This is an essential part of the " fight or flight " response.

The modern stresses we face in our everyday lives - such as deadlines at work or money troubles - don't really trigger a fight or flight response. However, they do release the same stress hormones, and this natural reaction can damage health and reduce the ability to cope.