“I’m so s-t-r-e-s-s-e-d!” is a constant refrain of the students everywhere in the world and also at the Overstrand Learning Hub - it tends to reach a crescendo the day before an assignment deadline. These students have every reason to feel stressed, especially as they are studying a full-time course, part-time.

According to psychologist, Karin Brand, everyone experiences stress. Sometimes stress can be a good thing, it can motivate you to sit down and get on with the task at hand. But when stress is frequent and intense, and if not addressed, it leads to constant anxiety which can affect your ability to function both mentally and physically.

A major cause of stress for students is finding enough time in the day to meet their goals. 

Karin says they won’t find time; they have to purposefully make the time available i.e. manage their time.

Managing their time more effectively will give them a sense of control and, as a result, reduce those feelings of being overwhelmed. She provided the students with a number of time-management strategies:

• making a list of non-negotiable priorities for the day, week, and month (this includes assignment deadlines, family commitments, social activities); 
• goal setting divided into short-term goals that are easily achievable and more time-consuming long-term goals;
• having a very visible year planner on which blocks of time are assigned for each of these priorities;
• multi-tasking or grouping activities to maximise time;
• allocating a certain time every day to devote to studying, so that it becomes a habit;
• being aware of the unproductive hours spent on social media and rather using this ‘downtime’ to do something that is more beneficial like physical exercise or slow deep breathing, both very effective stress releasers.

Another cause of stress is that students do not ask for help because they have this misconception, like most women, that they need to be Wonder Women. Instead of asking for assistance they tend to go into survival mode and push through regardless, which often leads to burnout.

Students need to learn to delegate and should try to outsource some of their tasks to family members, relatives and friends, even if it is only to tide them over a difficult period. They must also take more advantage of the tutor system at the Hub, whose sole purpose is to provide emotional and academic support and to help them find coping mechanisms in order to achieve their goals.

We live in an instant gratification society and it is very difficult for students not to become despondent when the desired outcome is only four years later.

Karin’s advice to students is to keep the final goal in sight and to frequently remind themselves why they have embarked on this challenging journey, and what their ultimate rewards will be, not only for themselves but for their families and the community. They will then find the grit and resilience needed to stay the course.