New Semester Stress

As April O’Donnell, an undergraduate transfer student at the New School for Drama, wiggled her key into her suite door on move-in day, she heard the pitter patter of animal feet on the tiled floor inside.

“I walked into my new suite and there was a dog barking and growling at me. ‘What is going on?’” O’Donnell said.

Moving into a new home can be a liberating and invigorating experience. Moving away from home and learning to become an independent adult is also exciting, but provides its own set of obstacles. Living on your own means having to complete tasks that you did not always have to do alone, or at all, before. In high school, your parents decided which items were necessary in the house – spoons, knives, bowls, plastic wrap and sandwich bags. 

Now, as adults we must prioritize and decide whether it is more urgent to buy new clothes or food, and figure out the difference between a bread knife, a carving knife and a vegetable knife.

“There are so many things you need! Getting it all out of storage and to the dorm, and physically moving everything is so difficult!” Lang senior Emily Theis said.

Got your stuff out of storage? Check. Have it all moved into your new room? Check. Everything unpacked and organized? Check.

But maintaining composure and a personable attitude when dealing with the hurdles roommates bring is stressful on its own. Tolerating odd smells and objects, their mood swings, or weird and sometimes disturbing habits can be nerve-racking, particularly in the midst of preparing for classes.

“Dealing with so many people is hard. Like not knowing what the cleaning schedule is and getting all of that figured out when everyone has different class schedules,” said Tiffany Wong, an undergraduate student at the New School for Public Engagement.

Stress is inevitable, unpredictable and has many causes. Too much homework, moving away from family, finances and even allergies can cause stress. These often lead to a negative, helpless outlook on life, coupled with exhaustion, a decrease in work quality and serious illnesses.

A recent Hobart and William Smith Colleges study estimated that large amounts of stress can cause premature aging and a weakened immune system, among other serious issues. The study also concluded that mindfulness-based programs, which combine mindfulness yoga and meditation, are associated with lower stress levels.

Being a full-time student is both a physically and emotionally demanding occupation. Consequently, it is vital for students to seek out resources, programs and people that can help them cope with stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle. A nearby and accessible resource is The New School’s Counseling and Health Services. Their offices are located on the third floor of 80 Fifth Avenue, and offer a number of resources and programs to help students manage stress.

Mindfulness meditation, along programs like with 12 free sessions of psychotherapy, art therapy sessions and acupuncture, are offered at The New School Counseling Services. At the Student Health Services, students can also consult with health educators, a nutritionist or a psychiatrist.

“In order to cope with feeling stressed, overwhelmed, lonely, and scared, it’s important to find a niche – roommates or people in class you feel comfortable with,” New School Counselor Madeline Lippman explained. “Everyone needs someone that they feel they can be comfortable, be themselves around.”

Although The New School may not boast the most bonded student community, there are many opportunities to relate or build relationship with others.

“Try meeting people by getting involved in an extracurricular activity or at a work-study job,” Lippman said.

Feeling comfortable around someone makes it easier to navigate roommate problems and to create solutions because you are both more willing to communicate.

“Once we get to know each other and we can understand each other and what our schedules are, things will be so much easier,” said student Tiffany Wong, regarding her roommate.

Along with finding people to engage with and feel safe around, it is important to know your personal workload limits. If you know you’re not the most organized and outgoing person, don’t enroll in six classes and sign up with four extracurricular activities at once.

“Be realistic about what you’re capable of and reach out to advisors to help you,” Lippman said. “There are so many resources throughout the university willing to help. We are a resource! We have a great staff of people.”

As the semester progresses, remain aware of personal stress levels, the effects of stress, as well as the multitude of resources available to help. Acquiring a dangerous illness is never a great way to start off the semester.