The best and worst of times

STRESS amongst students is nothing new. In the Anatomy of Melancholy, written over 300 years ago, Richard Burton noted that "students lost their wits and many times their lives from immoderate pains and extraordinary study".

What Burton recognised, and what many students have had direct and personal experience of since then, is that third-level education is a challenging experience, not only educationally and intellectually, but also physically, emotionally and psychologically.

"Most students who come into third level find the adjustment difficult," says Jim Byrne, head of counselling in UCG.

Some stress is healthy, since without it most of us would be so laid back we probably couldn't get out of bed in the morning. Most incoming students will have coped well with the pressures of second-level, otherwise they probably wouldn't be entering university, and there is no reason to assume they will not do as well, if not better, at third level.

"In many ways the environment. first-year students are coming from is much more stressful than university," says Barry Kehoe, student services officer in Dublin City University. "What we try to do when they come to university is make sure that they don't continue in that syndrome of `nose to the grind stone'."

There is simply more to college life than just study and putting yourself under Leaving Cert-type pressure will probably only harm your prospects in the long run he says.

After the initial adjustment many students breeze through university life with no obvious difficulties, although it would be an unusual individual indeed who did not feel that college life was getting to him or her at some point.

It is not unusual for students to experience difficulties at some point in their college career for any number of reasons, including the break up of a relationship, family difficulties or bereavement.

According to international figures, around 40 per cent of students may experience some emotional or psychological problems which might require short or long-term assistance from a counsellor or, in most cases, simply some reassurance and advice.

In other words, stress at third level is not unusual and if you do begin to feel under pressure for any reason then, not only are you not alone, but the colleges have a range of structures in place, including counsellors, tutors, doctors and students' union welfare officers, who have the resources to provide the help you need.

First years in particular can be vulnerable to the stresses of university and college life. According to the Irish Association of University and College Counsellors, almost half of all first years encounter difficulties settling into college and one quarter experience frequent loneliness

First-year students living away from home face the doubly difficult task of coping with college and coping with their new-found independence, as well as its sometime companions loneliness and home-sickness.

Students from deprived backgrounds are also vulnerable, since they may lack financial support and may also be the first from their families to attend third-level education, leaving them with few support structures at home for an experience unfamiliar to the rest of the family.

Women are more likely to talk about their problems and to seek assistance through the support structures available to them. Men, meanwhile, are more likely to use recreational drugs (ecstasy use is on the increase among third-level students), alcohol or sexual gratification in an effort to case their sorrows. (On a lighter note, to quote Dr Frazier Crane, women in college should remember that men do not use sex to get what they want. Sex is what they want.)

Colleges have realised that pro-active programmes are one of the best ways of providing students with the coping mechanisms they need to combat stress. Most now offer time management and study skills work-shops to incoming students and some of the more advanced offer personal development and communication skills programmes.

"I think the thing that matters most is being informed when the orientation period is being done by the college and to be involved with that," says Jim Byrne. "Most universities and colleges are now paying attention to first years and have good orientation weeks." Colleges also offer follow-up support, such as outreach programmes for students suffering exam anxiety, self-esteem and, of course, personal counselling.

IT IS important to remember that no problem is really too small to seek help with if its causing you distress. "All counsellors will take students at the level of the problem they present," says Byrne. "I think most students are prepared to use counsellors because its a buzzword. Now it's part of our culture and there is less of a taboo about it than there was 10 years ago."

DCU has taken its proactive approach one step further and, from this year, the university will be running an experimental pilot module on self-awareness in one of its faculties. The module will cover topics such as decision-making, stress awareness, time management and interpersonal relationships. The intention is that modules of this type will become standard in every faculty.

"The curriculum is being designed by student affairs practitioners, like student counsellors, and will be delivered partly by them and partly by people from the academic side," says Barry Kehoe. The university is also examining the possibility of a similar module based around sporting activities.

TCD and UCD students' unions have been running a Niteline student counselling service for the past two years and the service may well, be extended to other colleges this year. Using a freephone number and trained student volunteers, it allows students with problems to talk to a sympathetic peer in a confidence.

Yet one of the best ways of preempting student stress may be one of the most accessible and enjoyable by joining clubs and societies students provide themselves with a network of friendships and interests which will last them throughout their college years and, in many cases, beyond.

Particularly coming up to examination time, sport, exercise and a balanced lifestyle with outside interests are important in preventing the buildup of student stress.