It's that time of year again, finals are coming up regularly, Thanksgiving is right around the corner and right after that is Christmas. Each of these has one key factor in common: Stress, however, is not to be taken lightly, as it can distress a person not only mentally, but also physically and emotionally. Some are able to ignore it without giving it a second glance, while others are suddenly bombarded all at once. Symptoms of a person under high stress include muscle tension, nausea, high blood pressure, fatigue, irritability, feeling overwhelmed, mood swings, forgetfulness, repetitive thoughts and difficulty concentrating. For most, it's the latter. Stress alone can be beneficial in small doses, or it can be destructive if it gets out of control due to poor stress management. Stress can become overwhelming without the correct balance of activities. Creating a balance between activities such as general well-being, eating habits, sleeping habits and exercise can significantly help one gain the ability to cope with an overwhelming stressor, as stated by James Archer and Christina Carroll: “You can use the following guidelines to help you. manage your stress: understand your role in reactions to stress, develop a balanced lifestyle and effective personal organization, learn specific relaxation techniques, take a step back from problems by discussing them, clarify your values ​​while developing meaning of spirituality. Having a consistent balance between time spent indoors and outdoors can greatly improve the level of balance with stress and daily life. Discussing problems you may be facing is another great way to manage stress. Most of the time when the walls close in talking I...... middle of paper ...... helps to avoid ending up in a trip to the hospital or a visit to a psychiatrist. “Even though it may seem impossible to reinforce the good things in your life when you want to pull your hair out, constructive thinking can help you see the glass half full.” (Emily Driscoll 2011) Works Cited Archer, James, Ph.D, and Christina Carroll, Ph.D. “Stress and College Students.” Stress and university students. University of Florida Counseling Center, 2003. Web. November 19, 2013. .Driscoll, Emily. “Stress at university: what causes it and how to combat it.” Fox Company. Fox Business, March-April. 2011. Internet. November 18, 2013. Rogge, Timothy, MD, and David Zieve, MD. “Panic disorder with agoraphobia.” NCBI. US National Library of Medicine, February-March. 2012. Internet. November 18. 2013. .