For many incoming students, life at UCLA will represent myriad
concerns, problems, opportunities and rewards. Therefore, many
students may want to take steps to release stress and to ensure
optimal performance at UCLA, in and out of the classroom.
Incoming students should remember that they are “walking
into a very competitive environment,” said Michele Pearson,
director of Ancillary Services at the Arthur Ashe Student Health
and Wellness Center.
“Probably about 80 percent of the students at UCLA are
doing a juggling act, which makes them very busy” she
said.
Harold Pruett, director of Student Psychological Services,
called stress “the biggest” psychological problem
students face when they come to college.
Unchecked stress can lead to sleep deprivation, poor eating
habits, and even physical ailments, Pearson said.
“Students can get caught up trying to balance their lives
and their bodies can begin to cave,” she said.
In extreme, stress can also lead to depression if students think
negatively about their abilities, Pearson added.
But many resources exist at UCLA to help students cope with
stress.
The Ashe Center offers a diverse selection of workshops to help
students deal with sleep, dieting and stress management, including
acupuncture.
Student Psychological Services has a stress clinic that helps
students identify the source of their stress, think rationally
about their problems, and develop different self-management
strategies.
The stress clinic also holds workshops that deal with very
specific types of stress. Last year, the clinic held workshops on
public speaking anxiety and test-taking anxiety.
Alternative methods of relieving stress are also available.
About 22 students and members of the surrounding UCLA community
learned Sudarshan Kriya, an ancient yogic breathing technique,
during a five-day program from June 5 thru June 10.
Pruett said students can best minimize stress by getting
adequate sleep, thinking practically about situations, avoiding
excess caffeine, and balancing out their school life with athletic
and social activities. Should students experience depression,
Pruett strongly urges them to come into the SPS clinics.
“They should really come on in and see us. That’s
the easiest thing to do,” he said.
Students interested in finding out more information on the
Ashe Center can visit www.studenthealth.ucla.edu. Student
Psychological Services can be reached at (310) 825-0768.