Life for college students can prove to be a very hectic and stressful time. Learning to sufficiently recognize stress and deal with it in a positive way can have an enormous impact on a student's college experience in general. Falling grades, confusing assignments, struggling relationships with friends, and being away from familiar scenery can all have a serious impact on the amount of stress an average student experiences.

Look at some of the facts:

Stress a student can experience can often make a college student sick. Stress has a very profound effect on the effectiveness and ability of the immune system to fight germs and common airborne ailments such as colds and coughs.

As much as 75% of college students, who saw a doctor, saw one based on common symptoms of stress and exhaustion. Based on this, The University of Wisconsin has done research to show that the five largest causes of college stress disorders include peer pressure, competition, separation from family, freedom, and choosing a major or career.

With the joys of freedom and opportunities to make new social connections, comes the financial burden. If the whole college experience didn't cost enough, now students are being tested financially in a time where reading the fine print and comparing a few simple interest rates can mean decades paying it back or years re-establishing your credit rating.

The most obvious method of cutting down the stress is identifying it at the source. Some things you cannot do much to avoid such as homework, tests, or shifts at work; however, you can set certain times to do each of these activities that create the least amount of conflict in your schedule. Have you signed up for an extracurricular activity that is sucking up your time and taking away from the time to get things done you need to? Drop it! In the end, it is the grades, your networking, and overall health that determine a successful experience.

Other useful ways to take a stand against the stress in your life include making to do list to effectively manage your time, spacing out assignments so you focus on each one the best you can, and don't be afraid to talk to teachers, friends, or tutor labs to help you when you need it most.

Having alone time and time with your friends is different, and a combination of both is vital to most individuals that want to keep refreshed, recharged, and content. Also staying in contact with friends from high school and family members at home are two things that can be done to keep from feeling alone, defeated and stressed.

If you think you may be the only one around you that is experiencing stress, think again. Don't be afraid to seek some help with a counselor or medical specialist if you think the stress is becoming unbearable. These people are there to help and would gladly help you restore your sense of well-being. Remember stress is a big deal and can be a burden on your health. If it becomes severe, please consult a doctor immediately.