Graduation can create stress in students as they transition into adulthood and have to make decisions for their future. Credit: Pearl Carey | Lantern Reporter

As the December 2022 commencement approaches, the thought of graduating can leave students questioning what to do next with pressures about jobs, living situations and feeling inadequate.

Stress can play a major role in students’ physical health as well as in how they view themselves, whether that results in gastrointestinal issues, respiratory issues or high blood pressure, Natese Dockery, treasurer of the Graduate Association of Mental Health Action and Advocacy and Ph.D. student in educational studies, said.

However, there are different kinds of stress that affect the body in different ways, Kristen Toole, a clinical counselor and leader of GAMHAA, said.

“A lot of times when we talk about stress, we are thinking of this idea of distress because stress really comes in two forms, and I feel like we don’t really often talk about it,” Toole said.

Toole said there’s two kinds of stress: distress — which impacts the body in a negative way — and eustress — which encourages individuals to work hard and energizes the body. Students are often referencing distress when discussing life post-graduation, and it can leave a long-term negative impact, Toole said.

Signs of this long-term stress in graduates, Dockery said, can manifest in isolation rather than if they seek out support from those wrestling with the same internal issues. Graduates may also fall into the trap of saying “yes” to every invite or opportunity out of obligation, compromising their personal boundaries as a result, Dockery said.

“We’re in these transitioning stages, like going into a master’s or Ph.D. program, wanting to do all of these things,” Dockery said. “But you have to be willing to say, ‘I don’t think I can do that,’ in order to protect your own mental health.”

However, another pitfall of stress might cause students to think they don’t have any time for friends or hobbies that spark joy, Toole said.

“You can start to get so fixated on your priorities that it can become really easy to be like, ‘Well, since I’ve got this deadline approaching, I need to put my nose to the grindstone, so I won’t go out on Friday or Saturday. I don’t have time for my friends.’”

While maintaining a healthy balance of a social life and professional life, Dockery said there’s also a modern conversation surrounding self-care as a primary solution to stress.

“Self-care has become this notion of, like, ‘I’m gonna take a bubble bath, and then everything’s going to be better,’” Toole said. “For me, self-care is more about taking care of yourself in such a way that you are carefully curating and crafting a life.”

Toole said when students feel as though life is getting uncontrollable, slowly starting to make intentional weekly decisions to aid in building their life can be helpful. These can include creating a budget to avoid future financial crises or having a special planner to write out a master plan, so schedules are easier to understand.

“Small, little things set you up for success,” Dockery said. “So, when you do experience stress, you’re not freaking out because you’ve taken the time to get certain factors in line.”

To help feel more in control of their future, students can opt to see a therapist prior to undergoing stressful situations instead of believing the misconception that therapists are only useful during a crisis, Toole said.

“Therapists can aid with self-exploration,” Toole said. “They can help with coping strategies. They can help with developing a mindfulness practice, they can work on cognitive behavioral techniques that can help with sustaining long-term wellness.”

Having a growth mindset, Toole said, makes the actions of practicing true wellness easier. Being able to change, adapt and avoid the temptation to be fixed on one particular way of living is key in overcoming the stresses that come with adulthood, Toole said.

“Be willing to be vulnerable enough to ask for help,” Dockery said. “I know it’s not always easy, but it definitely can help reduce some of that stress that you might be experiencing.”