In a previous post, I spoke with Dr. Jeffrey Ng about anxiety. He explained to me that simple meditation could help relieve the effects of anxiety. A common method of meditation for college students is yoga. However, yoga is time consuming in itself and if you are like me, you get anxiety over feeling like you’ve wasted time. So what is my solution? That’s easy, do both at the same time.
1) The Bridge Pose
2) Big Toe Pose 
3) Bound Angle Pose 
4) Cat Pose 
5) Legs-Up-The-Wall-Pose
If anything, I hope my last post encouraged you to explore the different resources your school has to offer regarding career guidance and preparation. One thing that I took from my meeting with Cassie Sklarz was that there must be many resources that Career Services offers, that students are unaware of. I decided to ask Cassie about some of these things.
For one, many students at Fordham University probably have used or at least heard of Career Insights. However, Cassie explained that the extent of what Career Insights has to offer is fairly unknown or unexplored by students.
She explained that once students complete the level one and level 2 workshops offered by Career Services, students have full access to Career Insights. These workshops also happen to be the most utilized resource that is offered by Career Services. Career Insights has extensive research tools that allow students to both access and share what they are doing after graduation. It shows the statistics of students attending graduate school and what business graduates are working at. It allows students to comb through different industries and view salary information of Fordham Alumni. Having access to salary information gives students better ground to negotiate salaries in their jobs post graduation.
She explained to me that many universities have trouble getting students to share the information on the site and therefore, it is not as reliable for students researching on Career Link. However, she explained that Fordham University’s Career Insights is extremely up to date and surpasses most schools in the number of student who share their information. Currently 98.6% of graduating seniors share their information on Career Services, which she says has a lot to do with the way Fordham approaches Career Insights. She also stressed that Fordham’s Career Services is with students until the day they retire making it a reliable and accessible service to help students all throughout their undergrad years, and during their post grad years.
I also asked her about the infamous alumni books I had been hearing about but had no idea how to access. Cassie shared with me the Alumni books are housed under a different service on campus and that the books have not been updated since 2009. She suggests that for a more accurate pool of alumni information students should explore Fordham’s alumni network on LinkedIn. She explains that this network is so important because students can contact alumni, and ask them questions that Career Services cannot ask.
The next move after college is stressful but necessary to plan ahead for. There is so much that goes into planning that can make it seem overwhelming. Whether it is perfecting the art of an interview or making your resume stand out, preparing and planning can definitely be a source of stress for the college student.
Fordham University offers students access to career services to help them through this process. I talked with Associate Director Cassie Sklarz at Rose Hill Career Services to learn a little more about
how career services aims to help students.
Cassie Sklarz explained that the overall goal of Career Services is plain and simple, to get students employed. Her favorite piece that goes into this goal is making sure that students who visit Career Services, leave with a “concrete plan of steps” to approach the future with and feel better. She encourages students to keep coming back as many times as they need to make the process “manageable”. During my meeting I found out that 49% of students come to Career Services at least once. This statistic does not account for those students who visit Career Services multiple times, which is highly encouraged by the office.
I also asked Cassie what she viewed the most valuable resource that Career Services offers students. She explained that Career Services mission statement is “Aware, Prepare, Present”. Aware in the sense that students are aware of what they like and where they fit in. Prepare in the sense that students are prepared for an interview, have a resume and know what they need to be doing for the future. Finally, she hopes students are able to present themselves professionally in an interview or job.
Although anxiety is a natural response to a perceived threat, there are certain ways we can combat anxiety when we perceive something non-threatening, as a threat. After breaking down exactly what anxiety is and how it affects us, Dr. Jeffrey Ng gave me some simple ways to combat anxiety daily.
Before asking about anxiety relieving tips, a question on my mind during this discussion was the difference between stress and anxiety. I often find myself meshing the two together. Dr. Jeffrey Ng separated them in these terms; stress occurs when we become “overwhelmed by demands”. However, this overwhelmed feeling does not have to lead to an anxiety response. Yet often times our stress does in fact lead to a physiological anxiety response that for all of us is natural. It is the way we let it affect us as aforementioned, above that makes it a problem.
So how do we combat the anxiety that many people feel daily? I asked if there are any easy tips for students to follow. The first he explained in terms of a strategy that takes “commitment and practice”. In scientific terms we have two parts of the autonomic nervous system, the Sympathetic Nervous System and the Parasympathetic Nervous System. The Sympathetic Nervous System is responsible for the natural instincts we feel to protect ourselves; it is the cause of the physiological symptoms of anxiety. The Parasympathetic Nervous System serves to counter these reactions and there are “things we can do to activate it”.
Among these are deep breathing or “diaphragmatic breathing”. He explains that research shows that any sort of “meditative focus” that gets us “in the zone” will help counter the effects of the Sympathetic Nervous System. The second main tip is to challenge or monitor our thinking when we have threatening thoughts. He explains that “just because we have a thought it doesn’t mean that it is true”. One other tip that he often tells students is to reduce our use of social media or to approach social media in a smart way. He explains that often social media “paints a rosy picture” of other people’s lives that often is an inaccurate representation. However, “inevitably people compare themselves to them”.
In an earlier post, “Data Daze”, I questioned the use of a data tracking device that sends notifications to and individual when his or her body is experiencing stress. I asked Dr. Jeffrey Ng what his thoughts were on a device such as this. He explained that he does not believe there is anything wrong with tracking how your body experiences stress and that if a person finds the device helpful than they should utilize it. However, he also stressed the importance of being able to listen to your body to know when anxiety is negatively affecting you.
I also learned that there is one important myth that needs to be set straight regarding anxiety. It is that anxiety can be cured. In fact, anxiety shouldn’t go away because it is an important part of our protective mechanisms. A realistic approach to combatting anxiety is to learn how to control and respond to it.
Furthermore, Fordham University’s health center has a numerous amount of resources to help students with anxiety and stress management, including an app called Stressbusters that keeps students connected to Fordham events and services.
Fordham University’s Counseling and Psychological Services:
Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Rose Hill – 718-817-3725; O’Hare Hall – Lower Level
Lincoln Center – 212-636-6225; McMahon Hall 211
Westchester – 718-817-3725
As I have discussed in earlier pieces, anxiety is something that many college students feel at one point or another. In order to learn more about exactly how anxiety can affect students, I spoke with Dr. Jeffrey Ng the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Fordham University. I asked him some simple questions regarding anxiety and how it is perceived among students.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines anxiety as
:“fear or nervousness about what might happen”
:”a feeling of wanting to do something very much”
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines an anxiety disorder as
: “any of various disorders (as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, a phobia, or generalized anxiety disorder) in which anxiety is a predominant feature—called also anxiety neurosis, anxiety 
state”
While speaking with Dr. Jeffrey Ng, he clarified what anxiety is even further. He describes anxiety as an “acute fight or flight response”. He explains that we are very much “all equipped” to have this response because it is a part of our survival instincts. This response becomes problematic when we perceive and experience something as a threat when it really is not that threatening. He further explained that what also comes along with this response are physiological symptoms that can include “trembling, increased heart rate, sweating, nausea and shaking” but also mental thoughts or worry that can be detrimental.
Here at Fordham, anxiety related problems happen to be the most common problem for students who come to psychological services on both campuses. It amounts to about 35%-40% of the students. While this is a fair amount of people it made me think of students like me who feel the effects of anxiety but have never sought professional help. I asked Dr. Jeffrey Ng if he believed all students should seek help if they are feeling anxious. He told me that “it can never hurt to seek help” and that there are many resources available to students at Fordham. He also explained that there are many resources available online and in books for students to explore themselves as well.
For me, I know that a big part of my anxiety stems from academic pressures. I asked Dr. Jeffrey Ng, if this was a common trigger for students. He described academic pressures as being part of it but not the only thing. He stressed that the “most important variable is how we filter and perceive them” and that “for various reasons we each experience pressures differently”
I also asked him if he could break down the process that often occurs in order to diagnose anxiety disorders. He explained that in order to get anxiety officially diagnosed he recommends that a person seeks a professional. However, he stressed that it is important to remember that “we all have a level of anxiety” that can be a self-protection mechanism. Therefore, it is innate and beneficial to feel anxious at times.
Our moods are affected by our surroundings. In fact, colors can have a bigger effect on emotions than one might expect. Leslie Harrington is the executive director of The Color Association of The United States. In an article for the Huffington post she explains that we have “an innate reaction to color”. Therefore we have different reactions to different colors.
While the way individuals react to colors can vary due to the unique ways individuals can perceive colors, studies have shown a pattern in the way certain colors influence emotions. For example, one experiment showed that in a room colored in only red light, individuals’ perception of time was overestimated. This contrasted the reaction of those in a blue or green-lighted room. In this experiment time was underestimated. More research regarding this relationship is needed however, and is slowly being pursued.
Furthermore, individuals also have emotional associations with particular colors. While these are often the result of culture, it is interesting to explore the common correlations between emotions and color. For example, studies have explored the effects of intense colors and their association with excitement, while softer colors have a more calming effect.
Another interesting angle to explore the effects of color on mood is the way in which it influences anxiety. One color to stay away from in an anxiety-inducing situation is yellow. Yellow is thought to create emotions of irrationality, fear and anxiety.
Exploring the psychology behind color has led me in many directions. I have found true believers in its effects and just the opposite, true skeptics. It seems that while studies have pursued the correlation, there is not a lot of substantial evidence explaining a true universal correlation between color and our mind. Color undoubtedly has an effect on people however, it is more so on an individual scale rather than a universal one.
Nonetheless, an interesting and fun interpretation of the effects of colors is shown in an article in Science of People. The most helpful tip I found was number one, “What Color Should You Make Your Desktop: Green”.
When students’ find themselves caught up in stress and anxiety, it is important to remember that everyone experiences these things at some point. It is also important to remember that everyone copes with stress in different ways. I find it beneficial to try out a wide variety of methods in order to cope with stress. One of the best ways to do this is to see how other people cope with their own stress. I talked to four college students about what tends to stress them out the most at college, and what methods they each use to cope with them.
Student #1:
Stressor: “I think keeping up with work isn’t too difficult, but making sure the amount of studying I do for a test reflects my test score is probably the most stressful thing for me”.
Coping Method: “I try and clear my head before a test to keep the anxiety from getting to me, and also making sure I get enough sleep the night before”.
Student #2:
Stressor: “Not having many chances to perform (like only having two tests in a class)”.
Coping Method: “I combat it by studying really hard to maximize performance”.
Student #3:
Stressor: “I actually used to be more stressed in high school regarding my work load. Now I find myself stressing out about my internship or being away from my family. I have a fear of missing out both at home and at school”.
Coping Method: “I think personal quiet time to let out emotions is really helpful. I also try and plan fun things to do”.
Student #4:
Stressor: “When all my work piles up and everything is due within the same day or two”.
Coping Method: “The only way I can deal with the stress is by completing the assignments and turning them in”.
As you can see, everyone stresses about different things and have different ways of coping with them. I know that I too, do some of these things to help me cope with my own stress. I hope that these examples give some insight on how to combat stress, but also serve as a reminder that everyone gets stressed out and it is not anything that cannot be tackled.
Sleep is the foundation for having a good day. I think that anyone would agree that sleep is one of the most important things for a healthy life. So, why aren’t college students getting enough of it? One contributing factor most certainly can be attributed to stress. Stress is not beneficial for any part of your daily routine, but it is especially damaging for sleep.
It is important to get a good night sleep in order to tackle a new day. So even if stress is keeping you up at night, here are some sleep specific tips to try and combat insomnia.
One bad habit that inhibits sleep is basically any form of electronic screens. Whether it’s the television, a cell phone or a computer they all negatively affect sleep.
Light happens to have a huge effect on the body. It controls body temperature and hormones that are essential to helping us fall asleep. Every time we look down at our phone or peak at the television, our bodies react by delaying the secretion of melatonin and keep us from feeling tired. This is because the light gets our brains going again. If this becomes a habit and we continuously delay the time our body is able to fall asleep, delayed sleep phase syndrome can occur.
Technology in general perpetuates stress. If we keep a phone by us while we are trying to sleep, it is hard to shut our minds down. We feel obligated to respond if someone sends a text and it is that much more difficult to take a breather from thinking about our day-to-day tasks.
When it comes down to it, the best way to get a good night sleep is avoid the use of technology. Keep the television off, the computer screen shut, and phones off. This way there is no temptations and it is easier to focus on getting a good night sleep.
Among the many stressors for college students are the big decisions that not only affect the college experience, but also affect the type of courses available to take. Among these big decisions is the choice to study abroad or not.
I too, am in the process of deciding if I should study abroad or not and it has undoubtedly left me feeling stressed. However, Fordham University provides some insight that has helped my decision making process and I hope can help yours as well.
Studying abroad certainly will change your perspective and give you a better understanding of as Fordham explains “our increasingly interconnected and interdependent world”. Fordham believes that “there is no better way for you to broaden knowledge of yourself, you academic discipline, and the world around you than by embarking on a semester, year, or short-term program abroad”. I’d have to say that I personally agree with this, and the enthusiasm Fordham has towards study abroad has definitely triggered my interest in it.
Beyond this there is still quite a bit of planning to be done. I recommend researching to see whether your school has any study abroad resources such a study abroad department. At Fordham I was able to make an appointment with a faculty member in the study abroad office to discuss my options.
This was extremely helpful to me because it is important to one; fully understand all programs the university offers and two; which ones if any, have limitations. For example, I have been interested in the Ubuntu program Fordham offers. However, at my meeting I discovered that the university where I would be studying, does not have a communications department, and there are extra steps I would have to take if I was still interested in studying there. This is definitely something to keep in mind when pursuing where to study abroad.
This however, didn’t take the program off the table for me. The faculty member I spoke with encouraged me to speak with the study abroad coordinator for the communication department (which I suggest you do even if there doesn’t seem to be a conflict with the program you have selected). It is very beneficial to look over course options with someone who is knowledgeable in both your major department, and the study abroad process.
Here I discovered that even though there aren’t specifically communication classes I could take, there are many classes that could potentially count towards my communication elective courses. This is something that is especially important for scheduling purposes. It ensures that you have some courses designated for when you study abroad.
These are just a few things that I took out of my experience with the study abroad process. While I still haven’t made up my mind, the steps I took definitely have made the process not so overwhelming and less stressful. I feel confident that when I make my choice, I will have made the right one. I highly encourage you however, to take advantage of any study abroad resources your university offers. It will make the process run significantly smoother and less stressful.
Stress eating is a habit experienced my most college students at some point. Whether it is after a tough test or just anticipating the crazy week, stress eating happens. However, I have some news that might make stress eating seem a little less of a bad habit. As it turns out, some of the food you might be munching on has some stress relieving qualities.
Among these foods is dark chocolate, which personally, I was thrilled to discover. Not only is dark chocolate good for the heart, it also has an arsenal of qualities that should make it your go-to snack for stress. When people become stressed, their bodies have a way of reacting. In attempt to combat the stress a person’s body will release hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These are the body’s stress hormones. They are the hormones that cause the physical symptoms of being stressed such as increased heart rate and quicker breaths.
T. Jared Bunch explains in “Dark Chocolate: The Perfect Snack for Stress Relief and Heart Health”, that chocolate happens to be rich in Flavonols. Not only are Flavonols good for the heart, they also help to combat the release of stress hormones. A study was conducted that looked at the levels of stress hormones in the body after eating chocolate. A handful of men were given dark chocolate while the remaining men in the study were given a placebo. They were then placed in a stressful situation. After the stress test, each of the men were tested to observe the levels of stress hormones present in their body.
The study found that of the men who were tested, the men who were given chocolate before the stress test had significantly lower levels of stress hormones in their systems, and reported feeling less stressed than those who were not given the chocolate.
So the next time you are feeling stressed and go to reach for a snack, think about grabbing some dark chocolate. Not only can you indulge yourself a bit, you can also feel good about the fact that you are combatting some of the negative effects stress has on your body.
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