Stress. For many fourth-years, this insidious word has already crept much farther into their daily lives than they could have anticipated after three years of relatively care-free living at Mr. Jefferson's University.
"Job," "graduate school," and "interviews" have become dirty words while formerly harmless letters have taken on new meaning when strung together in certain dreaded sequences ("LSAT," "MCAT," and "GRE").
It's as if, suddenly, without warning, somebody flipped a giant switch in the basement of the rotunda sometime over the summer and the fourth-year class collectively came to remember that we will have lives outside of the University next year.
Stress.
Yes, it is hunting season again - the season of hunting for jobs (or even careers if we're lucky) and applying to graduate, law, and medical school. The class of 2010 is frenetically running about grounds, or (more likely) locking themselves in their rooms or Alderman stacks to sit in front of their computer screens, writing resumes and personal statements. Who would have ever thought talking about yourself would put you under so much pressure? It seems a bit ridiculous. [Hint: that's because it is ridiculous.]
Those who have not yet picked up their hunting spears are just as stressed, if not more so; not knowing what you want to be doing next year in a sea of people who do know is equally stressful. It seems the fear of the unknown is back after a four-year holiday. This time, however, you won't have 3,000 other students to lean on (...or your parents' bank account for that matter.)
Stress!
Well, there are a couple of take-away points from this situation.
First of all, please stop complaining about how difficult you have it. Yes, I understand how difficult it is to get into med school, but getting a consulting job isn't exactly a piece of cake either. In fact, if everybody is playing his or her cards correctly, we should all be applying to places where we have equally dismal chances of success. If you're not pushing yourself, (if you're not stressed) chances are, you are underselling yourself.
On the flip side of the same coin, when others inevitably complain about their own situation, have some empathy. To quote the timeless philosophy of High School Musical, "we're all in this together."
Most important, manage your stress - don't let your stress manage you. Stress can cause all kinds of physical, emotional, cognitive, and social problems. Stress can lead to aches and pains, digestive issues, headaches, and overall decreased immune functioning (something you don't want with H1N1 stalking the student body). It can disturb healthy sleeping and eating patterns and lead to moodiness, agitation, or even depression.
To avoid these effects, students can follow a relatively simple and intuitive regimen. First, regular exercise balances hormones and neurochemicals that are produced during stressful times. (Plus, let's be honest, it has the added benefit of making you look better - lessening social stress in that department.)
Second, carve twenty to thirty minutes out of every day to just relax by yourself. Meditation, spiritual or otherwise, is scientifically verified to battle the physical symptoms of stress.
Third, find time to take a break with friends in which you do not talk about the sources of your stress. This is perhaps the most critical aspect of your anti-stress plan-of-attack. Reminding yourself that there is life outside you and the bounty of this year's job/school hunting season is incredibly important and the support and company of close friends can only help.
Fourth, turn this regimen into a regular schedule so that you don't have to stress about when you are going to find time for yourself. Also, don't just binge on personal-time during the weekends, but find times throughout the week to help you keep your stress at a manageable level.
Finally, let us not forget that there is quite a bit of collateral damage in this war. I shudder to think of recruiters and admissions officials shuffling through hundreds of applications on a daily basis. Also, one of my professors recently told me that he writes an average of over 200 unique recommendation letters a year! So let's put this time in perspective: (a) we are not writing or heading hundreds of unique documents, (b) we are not doing this on an annual basis, and (c) we are not doing this for anybody but ourselves.
This is an exciting time, full of opportunity. While it can be stressful, it is one of those rare moments when the world is opened up to you before you set down one path or another. Appreciate the opportunities your time here at the University has afforded you, and, most importantly, appreciate these moments - they will come less and less often as time passes.
Matt Dickey is a columnist for the Cavalier Daily.
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