The notion of high-stress levels among college students is hardly a recent development. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have noticed a tremendous surge in the number of cases. Recent statistics reveal that 44.9% of higher learning institutions students in the US experience stress levels above average (Ayala et al. 2). The prevalence is even higher among medical students, with 55.1 % of learners describing college as extremely stressful (Ayala et al. 2). This data is a call for action to all relevant parties to direct more attention to improving the mental health of students. We have designed a stress-management program for this academic period which involves training learners on how to effectively eliminate or at the very least reduce their anxiety levels.
The program is designed to promote self-care behaviors among students. Our efforts will focus on training students to balance academics, physical activity, social interactions, nutrition, health, and spirituality. We have also included sessions where students can interact with professionals in mental health. Most importantly, we intend to create more awareness about all support services and resources available to students. These strategies are designed to compel students into health-seeking behaviors while increasing their cognitive functioning and academic performance. Through this project, we intend to help the majority of students overcome stress and, by extension, improve their overall quality of life. Notably, the program also provides a solid framework for the department to formulate measures to eliminate factors that escalate student stress levels. This public service announcement is sponsored and supported by the University’s counseling department, including the Head of the Department and subsidiary advisors.
Work Cited
Ayala, Erin E., et al. “U.S. Medical Students Who Engage in Self-Care Report Less Stress and Higher Quality of Life.” BMC Medical Education, vol. 18, no. 1, 2018, pp. 1-9, Web.