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 Beat the near-graduation blues By Tamara Knapp-Grosz, Ph.D. Graduation is a time filled with excitement and long-anticipated celebrations with family and friends. It is a time to reflect on achievements and plan for the future. For many students, however, the emotions surrounding graduation can be bittersweet. Some students may find themselves feeling up one day and down the next. Irritability or tearfulness could erupt at unpredictable times making the last few weeks before graduation feel like an emotional roller coaster. For others, anxiety about the future is a common emotion frequently experienced during the last few weeks leading up to graduation. Students may find they having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep or may complain of dreams that are more vivid than usual. They may feel overwhelmed. They may worry more than usual about things and have trouble focusing on last minute tasks or projects. Instead of ignoring these emotions students can try the following: Be aware of the feelings that they are feeling. Identify the feelings both positive and negative and write them down. Allow them to be expressed to a safe person. Learn some simple relaxation techniques to use before bedtime. Purchase a guided imagery CD or just turn on some favorite music and focus on breathing. Attend a weekly meditation group offered by the health and wellness department or schedule an individual session and have a customized meditation tape designed use at home. Nurture yourself. During times of stress it is common for students to grab junk food on the run or drink gallons of coffee in hopes of staying awake just one more hour. These habits actually decrease focus and ability to perform under stress. Eating regular healthy meals and limiting caffeine will be a better option for success. Talk positively. Psycho-logical research indicates that thoughts strongly influence our feelings. Notice when you are thinking negatively or in self-defeating ways and change the negatives to a positive statement. It will impact how you feel. Say goodbye. Sometimes people want to avoid the thoughts of leaving others who have been important to them or have touched their lives but these feelings need to be expressed. If in-person goodbyes are difficult, consider writing those special people a short note. Schedule regular exercise. Exercise is a healthy anxiety management tool. Even a few laps around the park can help calm a racing mind. Use a planner to help focus on daily tasks that need to be completed. Make daily to-do lists realistic and schedule in rest and exercise periods first. Scheduling time for healthy activities will ensure increased productivity throughout the day. For those who haven’t found a job yet or are worried about plans after graduation, call the career planning and placement office at 525-4653 or the department of health and wellness at 525-6971 for some one-on-one consultation. Either of these departments can help identify resources and develop a plan for success. Knapp-Grosz is the director of health and wellness. |
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