In life, as the adage goes, there are few things that people can guarantee: life, death, taxes, and as any college student knows, stress.
Stress is as much a part of life as books, classes and homework and every student deals with stress in their own way. These methods of coping are as diverse and unique as the UB student body.
Dealing with stress is as important as finding the correct answer to a homework question, since unresolved stress can cause medical problems, such as ulcers, migraines and other serious long-term problems.
One of the healthy ways in which beleaguered students can escape and relieve the sometimes debilitating anxieties and pressures of the college experience is by visiting the Wellness Center, located in Student Union 114.
The Wellness Center has been in existence for ten years and is free to the public, paid for by the mandatory student fee. The Wellness Center is more than just a place where overworked and exhausted students can go to get massages, kick back and drink green tea while listening to serene and calming music.
"It is a multi-faceted and vital part of the UB community," said Laurie Krupski, assistant director of Wellness Education Services.
Krupski said that at specific times during the semester, it is more important for students to find ways to manage their stress.
"Stress remains a concern for college students," she said. "Students must learn to adjust to a new environment and at the same time balance multiple responsibilities. Especially mid-semester, when many students are struggling with multiple mid-term exams coming at the same time."
As most students do undergo stress throughout the school year, some find unique ways to deal with it.
Annie Kim is a graduate student of informatics and with four years of college under her belt. She has managed to use her stress relieving techniques to make difficult situations easier to handle.
"I'm a very social person by nature so I love to gather my fellow stressed out friends and do something we can all do together like bowling or watching a movie or having a pot luck dinner," said Kim. "It gets your mind off whatever's stressing you out and makes you feel good about being around people you love. We drink a lot too. The drinking part's most important."
With a decade of experience, Wellness Education Services have made it a point to continually adjust their focus according to student's needs.
"We've managed to reach thousands of people through outreach programs that are popular to students. At Wellness Education Services we encourage on-going participation in stress relieving activities," Krupski said.
By offering residence hall programs such as yoga, Pilates and meditation, the Wellness Center hopes to give students a much-needed chance to relax and take a break. In addition, the Wellness Center sponsors a variety of social venues, like dance lessons, for students to have fun and relieve stress.
"Students get a kick out of learning the latest dance steps, so they feel relaxed and gain confidence on the dance floor," said Krupski.
For some students who do not participate in the programs offered by the Wellness Center, dancing does continue to be a potent stress reliever.
"I lock the door to my room, raise the volume, and put on some loud dance music and I attempt to dance," said Alka Kuruvilla, senior biological sciences major.
UB's Wellness Education Services plans to do an assessment in spring 2006 that will be called the American College Health Assessment, which will focus on the types of stress students experience in order to create a successful method of stress relief.
For more information on all the services the Wellness Education Services offers, how to relieve the stresses and troubles of life and how to properly channel your frustration in positive ways, you can begin by contacting the Wellness Center at 645-2072.
"We recognize that students need a regular outlet to let go of stress and channel it in useful and productive ways," said Krupski.
Additional Reporting by Juby Kuriakose and Katie Beczak
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
