Many students returned from spring break fresh-eyed and tanned, only to realize the immense workload that they had left behind had not disappeared. In fact, if anything it had increased threefold, causing many students to become overwhelmed and extremely stressed out.

It is not too late to get caught up and relieve the overwhelming sensation that students may be feeling, or to avoid it completely, said John D. Powell, Clinical Psychologist at the Counselling Center, 610 E. John St. The most important thing a student can do to relieve stress is to plan, he said.

“Think ahead of what’s coming up,” Powell said. “Think what papers are due when, what exams need to be studied for and when, etc. Planning those kinds of things ahead of time is important, that way there are few surprises and fewer needs to ignore one project so you can cram for another.”

Prevention by taking care of one’s needs helps students deal with stressful times, Powell said.

“Prevention and healthy stress management is basically a matter of doing what you know is good for you,” Powell said. “For example, eating healthy, getting some regular exercise, getting a decent amount of sleep, and mixing some relaxing and enjoyable activities in with the demanding tasks can go a long way.”

Caitlin Megginson, freshman in LAS, has her own unique way of winding down in stressful times.

“My roommate and I watch funny or stupid movies, sometimes we watch Disney movies,” Megginson said. “Other times, we listen to old music, from when we were younger, or we will calm down by eating a snack and making tea. We do anything really that can take our minds off of our work, even if it’s just for a second.”

According to MSN, relaxation techniques such as these are effective in temporarily relieving stress, because it doesn’t matter what technique used, what matters is that you practice it regularly. The Web site asks people to be aware “that relaxation techniques are skills, and as with any skill, your ability to relax improves with practice.”

It also implores people to “be patient with yourself” and to “stay motivated to reduce the negative impact of stress on your body, and to experience a greater sense of calm in your life.”

This sense of patience leads students to separate their work and play time, which is necessary, according to Powell.

“Work when you work, and play when you play,” Powell said. “Make sure to leave adequate time for each, because when a student has lots to do and not much time, the work and the play tends to get compromised. When you are working, it’s hard to focus because you wish you were out with friends, and vice versa. When that happens, you cannot work or play as well, and the time is then lost.”

This separation allows students to manage their time by setting their own deadlines, and not allowing the deadlines to dictate their lives, said Powell.

“Setting your own deadlines allows extra time to socialize, relax, and to do some fun things in the midst of work,” Powell said.

Megginson said she and her roommate watch their hamster when they are stressed out.

“We put him in his ball and watch him roll around,” she said. “It helps us see that we really don’t have it as bad as we often times think. We may feel as if we are trapped, but in actuality we are not.”

Techniques such as those allow students to take their minds off of their overwhelming workload, and take a few minutes for themselves. In the midst of a stressful week, this is often the last thing students actually do, Powell said.

“It makes sense to stressed out students to push themselves that way and it seems a waste of time to get a good night’s sleep, and to relax, etc.,” Powell said. “For many students, this intense method has worked satisfactorily for years. Yet, students have shown that the quality of study time and preparation is compromised when done under intense pressure.”

For more tips on stress prevention, please attend the “Tuesday @ Seven” workshop on April 17 in room 406 entitled “Managing stress without stressing out” or the finals preparation workshop “Stop. Go. Finals.” on May 1.