Calmness

General resistance to stress

Everyone experiences stress at some point. According to a survey by the National College Health Association, more than 70% of students reported feeling overwhelmed by all they had to do within the past 30 days. In school, at work, at home - there are many times when we feel like there is more going on than we can handle. This, after all, is “stress” - the feeling that what we need to do is more than can be done.

People often talk about experiencing stress, but there is something more important than feeling like our demands exceed our resources: how we respond to that feeling. We can respond positively in ways that help us overcome those challenges, or we can respond in ways that either don’t solve the problem, create new problems, or both. There are two major things to keep in mind when you encounter stress.

First, how can you handle that stress in a healthy way? While there are tips below, such as the use of mindfulness-based meditation practices, that can be good for reducing stress on your own, but it’s always a good idea to talk to someone about it. It could be a friend, family member, or a trained counselor.

Second, how are you going to respond? As you can learn about in the section on Coping Strategies, there are “adaptive” - or positive - ways to respond, and problematic ways to respond. Make sure that, in times of stress, you’re taking steps to actually address the problem (i.e., making a plan or talking with someone who can help you) instead of ways that will either avoid the problem or simply make you feel more stressed.

If the problem can be solved, why worry?
If the problem cannot be solved, worrying will do you no good.
Buddha

How can I improve my Calmness?

Strategies to Use

Consider strategies like mindfulness-based meditation, which can give you the skills to acknowledge and process stress. (see Online Resources below)
If your stress seems like something more than you can handle, make sure to talk to someone who can help. Your advisor, a counselor, a friend, or a family member are all good resources.

Resources at EPCC

The EPCC Counseling Department is in place to assist you in reaching your educational and professional goals. Counselors can assist you with career choice, personal issues, or any academic struggles you might encounter.
To initiate a fruitful first-year experience for First-Time in College (FTIC) students, EPCC offers an interdisciplinary First-Year Experience Academic Coaching seminar.
The purpose of this seminar is to allow FTIC students to meet peers who share similar interests; have built-in study groups and support, and guide students to successfully complete courses that apply to their major. This seminar is designed to broaden academic effectiveness to make the curriculum appropriate and relevant for the everyday lives of our students. With the faculty’s collaborative efforts and assistance, we ensure that Early Alert provides the Best Start.

To schedule a Coaching Appointment, click here.

Online Resources

The UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Research Center offers a full complement of free mindfulness exercises from simple 3-minute meditations to 6 week online classes as well as weekly live podcasts.
Insight Timer - Meditation: Free access to the largest library of guided meditations on earth.
Anxiety Sisters: Anxiety-specific resources for free including a red "panic button" you can click during a severe anxiety episode and a recording will talk you down.
Calm is an app that offers resources to help with meditation, anxiety, and even sleep, though there is a cost associated with the full version.