Although most students experience stress as midterms begin semester, many have also found creative ways to alleviate these feelings.
A variety of students shared their practices or resources that help them stay on top of emotional drain.
Eliza Wood, a BYU senior, shared that in past years she noticed that her stress snowballed as the semester progressed. After integrating exercise into her routine, she realized it helped her become productive in other areas as well.
“I usually like to work out because that relieves a lot of stress and it kind of takes my mind off of all the crazy things. Even if I have homework, I still prioritize that because I know that if I still do that, that means I’m doing something right,” Wood said.
Omar Abdin, a BYU freshman, said he uses BYU prioritizer to manage his busy schedule. Prioritizer is a tool on Learning Suite that allows students to organize their assignments by deadline.
“Since a lot of assignments can get lost, especially since universities and schools tell you the day before it is due, for example, they just expect you to know,” Abdin said.
The BYU Counseling and Psychological Services is another free service offered to students who feel like they need extra help.
Student Brynlee Cecil said she felt overwhelmed with the start of a new semester but is hopeful that this service will provide her with extra clarity.
"It's been super stressful because it's a new year, I got a new job, and I was like 'maybe I need some extra help,'" Cecil said.
Rebekah Wells, a student who works at BYU Counseling and Psychological Services, shared that she wants peers to know there is hope.
"It's more worth it to try and see if something will help than just wait to get better," Wells said.
Many professors on campus are also invested in mitigating student stress. Quint Randle, an associate professor of communications at BYU, offered his advice.
His personality is such that if he waits until the end of a deadline, everything explodes, he said.
"My advice for students, even though it's difficult, is to spread your work out," Randle said.
Randle explained that BYU students live in a very perfectionist society that worries about being "A students." He invited students to remember that, in the end, job experience matters over the specific letter grade.
"Grades aren't everything ... You want to turn in good work but at the same time you can't live a life based on what your grades are going to be," Randle said.
Students who desire counseling or psychological services can make an appointment with BYU Counseling and Psychological Services here.