Before starting college, a lot of advice was given to me on how to succeed. The most common were to study hard instead of playing around and not to let schoolwork pile up until the end of the semester. We’ve all heard it before, but here we are, just days away from Finals Week.
With each final paper, presentation or exam, more stress is put on our shoulders. Finding a stress outlet, or speaking with a professional8212;a service available to all U students8212;can help to alleviate some of this stress.
According to the 2007-2008 annual report at the U’s counseling center, 6,381 students have made use of the services provided, including individual counseling, stress management workshops and even crisis therapy.
The Outreach Coordinator at the center, Ryan Randall, said more students are scheduled for counseling appointments toward the end of the semester, mostly because of the stress of finals.
We pay for this service with part of our student fees. When scheduling an appointment, the first intake session is free of charge, with the following sessions available for only $10.
Although other universities in Utah offer this service without any fee, this is still quite affordable, considering that no specific insurance or private coverage for this professional one-hour counseling session is necessary.
Randall said the Outreach Program also offers free skill workshops on time or stress management, which are available to clubs and groups on campus by request.
Diving into the textbooks 24/7 isn’t going to bring out the desired results. Countless students strain themselves so much for finals that despite the crazy studying and all-nighters, they don’t do well.
Stressing out about the last-minute procrastination will also make you sick, physically and emotionally. Having a professional readily available to talk to about stress or anxiety will help you to not only survive, but thrive during Finals Week.
Emily Rodriguez-Vargas