SLU Students Feel Midsemester Stress
The Slump and How To Get Out Of It
As midterms wrap and students return from midsemester break the vibe on campus changes, not for the better though. Campus feels solemn and students seem stressed, but why, is this a common theme semester to semester?
Students at St. Lawrence University typically find that midsemester break happens right when they need it. Before coming to college, some may not have realized that burnout and slumps are real things. Just based on how people walk around campus, you can tell that stress levels are high. Luckily, this isn’t an abnormal phenomenon. Tara Tent, the Director of Counseling Services, said that about 20 percent of SLU students seek out resources throughout the semester, but during midpoints in the semester there is more of an increase.
Tent, put stress around campus into perspective. “Typically, right after midsemester break, we see an increase in students utilizing services because that’s when academic stress amps up, and then, you know, and there’s other stressors that are happening,” Tent explained. As a student, it can sometimes be hard to think of other stressors that could be occurring outside academics. “I think that, when a lot of, a lot more work is due,” Tent said. “And just a lot of weather changes, the time change, especially for fall semester when it gets darker, you know, it’s just a tough time too.” Nora Graves, a student and peer counselor at SLU, said the same thing. “I feel like I notice more people struggling more, like with their mental health.” Graves expressed that she notices through herself and people who come to counseling sessions that classes, extracurricular activities, social events and the weather changes all around the same time.
Just because things get more stressful doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to avoid complete breakdowns. Both Tent and Graves gave advice they give to students who are struggling. “I think the number that one of the main things is really focusing on what you have control over,” Tent says, “really stepping up self-care, like getting adequate sleep, eating well, balancing social involvement and interaction with their academic pressures and stress.” Tent thinks it’s very important that students ask themselves, “what is in your selfcare toolbox.”
Graves stressed that sleep is something that is forgotten for students. “I feel like a lot of people I’ve noticed, especially first-years, will stay up super late to get their work done. And that becomes challenging to keep up with and it ends making it harder than if you just went to bed early.” Going to bed earlier is way better for someone’s mental health. Academic performance will be better, and memory will work better if someone goes to bed earlier. Sleep helps one have more energy throughout the day. “I think as people start learning more about the resources, whether that be looking for them, or just spending more time on campus and meeting more people, they kind of, it like really helps to like learn all those pathways,” said Graves.
The midsemester slump is all around, and is normal. But there are so many resources on campus to not let the slump consume. Tara Tent said very well, “To really try to find the meaning and purpose in academics.” She thinks students need to reconnect with what is fun and meaningful about learning. We are so lucky that we get to be at SLU and get to learn!