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It can make you sick, make you feel like breaking down and cry, as if you can't handle anymore. Stress can be something many college students have to deal with. It can be caused by many reasons like relationships, new working habits, change in sleeping habits, different eating habits, and new responsibilities.

"Stress is hard to define," said Dr. Jane Martino, a psychology professor, "Both happy and challenging events can be interpreted as stressful. For example, a wedding is stressful, final exams are stressful, and even balancing your checkbook may be stressful."

People deal with stress in many different ways. It's up to them to figure out what it is that will help them cope under stressful situations. Martino said, "It's all how we interpret these events in our lives."

"If I'm upset and stressed, I listen to metal and hard core rock," said Sarek Hartmann, a first year student at DMACC. John Pendru, also a first year student at DMACC said, "I usually chill out in my man-cave also known as my basement and watch movies."

According to the Web site stress.about.com:

Exercise can help a lot of people relieve stress build up. Each individual is different, with different kinds of stress. Taking a walk, working on equipment in a fitness center, or taking up a fitness class can be a big help in letting off some steam. Being active can also be beneficial to the body. It helps in building muscle, losing weight, gaining more energy, and boosting the immune system. Overall, exercise can be very beneficial and can help people feel relief and better about themselves.

Journaling. By taking the time to write about thoughts and feelings, it can help a person deal with the stress that occurs in their daily lives. This could help individuals to explore their emotions. Many people find it easier to take their anger and deep thoughts out by writing them down, and in some cases this can help people come up with solutions to their problems.

Resting one's body can relax the high-tension nerves and muscles. Mary Sletten, a pre-nursing student, said, "I sit down and read my Bible, and turn on upbeat spiritual music when I'm stressed." Most jobs allow breaks throughout the day for good reasoning. Developing sufficient sleep habits is vital to one's health. A good night's sleep is around 7 to 8 hours.

Treat yourself. Always pay attention to the needs of your body. "If your shoulders are tense do some yoga. If you feel tired, rest. If you need a break from studying, take it," said Martino, "Remember to take a study break of at least 5 minutes every clock hour you study." If there is something wrong or if something is needed, your body is usually the first to let you know. Try to forget about all the troubles going on in your life at the time and have fun.

Hobbies can be a great way to relieve stress. Finding something to enjoy during free time, even if it is only for 15 minutes a day, may reduce stress. Examples could be learning a new instrument, taking up sewing, scrap booking, or building something.

Counseling is a way for someone to share their feelings and emotions with another person. This can help to not keep things bottled up.

"Counseling is a one to one training session. Think of it as a personal trainer. If you want to get rid of specific stressors, counseling is the most efficient way to alleviate it," said Martino. Stress may bring people down, or make them stronger. When stressed or overwhelmed with occurrences that may take place, take a step back and just breathe.

"This is a stressful time of the semester for most students. If the stress is getting to you, make sure you talk with a counselor or your instructors," Martino said.

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