Can stress be a good thing?

Being a college student is tough. Juggling academics, campus involvements, and career development is challenging and most definitely stressful. But surprise, some stress can actually be good for us! It sounds contradictory but stress can actually benefit us in different ways. 

But before we get into this discussion, we have to identify what stress exactly is and the types of stress. According to Kathleen Gunther, a psychology professor at American University, stress occurs when we encounter a challenge but do not have the resources available to deal with it. In fact, there are two different types of stress: “distress,” which commonly refers to negative stress (getting fired from a job) and “eustress,” which refers to positive stress (starting a new job). Distress can occur when we do not have psychological resources or coping patterns to manage trauma or agitation. 

We commonly associate stress with negative connotations and promote the idea of de-stressing, which is a good thing of course. However, we often do not realize or even think about how certain stress or eustress can have a beneficial effect on personal development and productivity. According to a study done in UC Berkeley, having the right amount of acute stress can actually increase our optimal level of alertness as well as improve our performance and health. Hence, the adage “we work better under pressure.”

In my own experience, returning back to school and adjusting to in-person learning, I realized that my “stress” from school was actually shaping me into a more productive person. Because of my busy schedule and priorities, I was forced to be better organized and manage my time wisely. This meant waking up early, fixing my sleep schedule, and cutting down screen time on my devices. Compared to the times when I am on school break and have freedom from responsibilities, I work so much better when I am busy or under pressure. This is simply because I have a shift in my mindset and habits. This stems from developing problem-solving coping skills and looking towards healthy coping mechanisms. 

I am in no way trying to encourage stress but rather calling for a  re-evaluation of stress and how we approach it. We cannot simply avoid stressful situations; we have to somehow find solutions and coping mechanisms to overcome them. However, we have to consider short and long term stress. Long-term stress will definitely take more time to heal from–read CDC’s tips on coping with stress. I suggest dealing with stress at your own pace and in your own healthy ways. 

Stressfully yours,

Lauren

Sources

Time, How some stress can be good for you

Berkeley News, Researchers find how some stress is good for you 

No Tropics, The scientific legacy of Hans Selye

CDC, Tips for coping with stress

• psychology
• stress
• wellbeing