Dealing with Frustration - A Holistic View
Hello there everyone,
For those of you that are currently taking classes and have found yourselves frustrated with the demands of life, family and school. Here's a little sunshine from a holistic view, to aide you toward avoiding burn out. First, setting priorities in place is important. Here I will list frustrations that students face and then I will address each one:
1. School (have to put in too many hours, don't have time for fun)
2. Family (always demanding, expecting you to be at all family gatherings)
3. Spirituality (pray! who has the time?)
4. Friends (don't have time for them)
Let's deal with these issues that have created much stress in your lives. How do you deal with all for of these items without losing yourself? First, school is important. Going to college is a challenge. The biggest challenge can be finally realizing the rigor expected from each class. Realizing this, you notice that you only have 24 hours in a day, yet it seems as if you are working on homework 30 hours plus or more per day. I'm exaggerating, but you get the point. You must sit down and figure out what is the best time of the day to get your homework assignments completed without distractions. Create a space within your home, or go to a public place where you can study so that you have peace of mind to get your deadlines met. Second, family is important, however, you have to understand; those who have never attended college or those who have been away for sometime, do not understand the time and dedication that you have devoted to your studies. Unfortunately, they may never understand. You have to find those who are supportive or those who can mentor you while you work toward your academic success plan. Try to talk to your family about your academic obligations. If they still not understanding, try to find a support group at school or develop one yourself for students who need academic support. Third, spirituality is important to many students who find themselves stressed. Make sure you take care of this aspect of your life; do not neglect your spirituality. If you can not make meetings, read books, or talk to others who are spiritual. There are many websites that could also be of good resource for you to stay connected. Finally, Friend connections are just as important as your family. Many times however, students neglect there friends and find that within the first year, they lose many close relationships. Stay connected to your friends, by sending them an ecard, or other type of “Just Thinking About You” type things.
Keep in mind, you may feel like you are losing your mind, but you are in control! Make time for FUN with family and friends – and don’t neglect those close relationships, you will need them.
Signing off,
Michelle Joy,
