It is possible that you will encounter stressful situations during your studies. Learning how to cope with it and how to deal with this stress will help you to maintain a healthy well being, it will contribute to your educational success, and the coping skills you develop here at Algonquin College will be very valuable to you out of the classroom. 

Stress is your body's response to events or situations in your life. A manageable amount of stress is normal, but excessive stress leads to emotional wear and tear.

Stress is caused by a number of things in our ever changing world. Situations that are stress-provoking are known as stressors. Specifically within the college life, stressors may include exams, increased school workload, financial complications, limited time available to complete tasks, and a lack of support.

Test yourself! Take the stress test to figure out your "Stress Index".

 Deep Breathing can be done at anytime, anywhere. Deep Breathing provides extra Oxygen to the blood and causes the body to release endorphins, which are naturally occurring hormones that re-energize and promote relaxation

1. Slowly inhale through your nose, expanding your abdomen before allowing air to fill your lungs.
   
2. Reverse the process the process as you exhale.

• Make sure to get enough sleep.

• Share your feelings. Just talking to a friend, family member or coworker can help you feel better.