Managing Stress Is a Strategy for Success in College

Starting college is exciting. Maybe you're the first in your family to enroll, or you're returning after years of work and family. Either way, you remember the start: a fresh schedule, big goals, and a promise to yourself to stay on top of everything. That focus is a real strength. It's what gets so many students through the door.

But it can also make it harder to notice when things start to shift. That's why managing stress isn't a break from your goals. It's one of the smartest strategies you have for reaching them.

When Stress Starts to Build

A few weeks in, the pace picks up. Assignments stack up alongside work shifts, bills, family responsibilities, and long commutes. In Central Scholarship's June 2 blog post, What Maryland Students Are Struggling with Right Now, they shared that while Maryland students are extremely resilient, many are exhausted and carrying additional stressors like financial, transportation, and housing insecurity. Demanding coursework on top of that can tip the scales.

The shift usually happens gradually:

• Sleep gets shorter, and meals get skipped.
• The things that recharge you fall off the schedule.
• Anxiety rises, and your mind replays grades and to-do lists even when you try to rest.
• You start to feel like you can't keep up.

Then comes a familiar reaction: push harder. Many students assume they're struggling because they aren't trying hard enough.

But what's usually happening is different. Normal, short-term stress has become chronic, leaving your body stuck in a stress response. Pushing harder can help for a while, but over time it tends to backfire.

What Stress Does to Your Body, Brain, and Studies

Stress starts as a survival system. Under pressure, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, giving you a burst of energy that can sharpen your focus before a deadline. But when stress doesn't let up, the American Psychological Association notes it can leave you tired, irritable, and unable to concentrate. Your brain prioritizes getting through the moment, and memory, focus, and problem-solving get pushed aside.

That shows up in your studies:

• It's the top reason students think about leaving. In the Lumina Foundation-Gallup 2025 State of Higher Education Study, about one in three students had recently considered leaving, most often because of emotional stress (49%) or mental health (41%).
• It gets in the way of learning. In the American College Health Association's Fall 2024 survey, 30% of students said anxiety hurt their academics.

Stress also doesn't land the same way on everyone. Students managing a disability, a chronic physical or mental health condition, neurodivergence like ADHD or autism, or recovery of any kind often spend energy others don't see: managing symptoms, keeping appointments, masking to fit in, or navigating systems that weren't built with them in mind. In the Gallup study, one in five students who considered leaving named their physical health as a reason.

Why Pushing Through Can Backfire

Many of us were taught that the hardest workers never stop. But your brain isn't built to run on empty.

A 2022 review of 22 studies found that short breaks of ten minutes or less reduced fatigue and restored energy. For demanding work like exam prep, longer breaks helped performance even more.

Sleep matters too, since your brain uses it to lock in what you learned. Yet the same ACHA survey found that more than 75% of students get less than eight hours on weeknights.

Simple Strategies That Actually Lower Stress

You don't need an expensive wellness routine. You need small practices you can repeat, adapted to how your mind and body work.

1. Mindfulness. Notice what's happening in your body and mind without judging it. Before an exam, try three slow breaths with a longer exhale. If stillness doesn't work for you, move instead: take a slow walk, stretch, or name five things you can see.

2. Rest. Protect your sleep like it's a class you can't skip, and step away from studying every hour or so. Rest looks different for everyone: a walk, noise-canceling headphones, or a few quiet minutes. If your energy runs low quickly, rest before you're depleted to avoid a crash.

3. Food. Stress and skipped meals feed each other. Keep easy options on hand, like fruit or granola bars, and set phone reminders if meals slip your mind. If money is tight, check whether your campus has a food pantry. Many do, and using one is nothing to be ashamed of.

4. Community. Many of us learned to handle everything alone. But a study group, one trusted classmate, or office hours can lighten the load more than any study hack. Some people also find "body doubling" helpful: working alongside someone, in person or on video, to stay focused. You don't have to do this alone.

Your Phone: Stress Source or Support?

Technology can be an amazing resource, but it can also add to your stress. The ACHA survey found that nearly 60% of students spend six or more hours a week on social media.

When it adds stress: late-night doom scrolling, comparing yourself to others' highlight reels, and constant notifications that break your focus.

When it helps: task apps that break assignments into steps and send reminders, self-care apps for guided breathing and sleep, and accessibility tools like text-to-speech and captions.

One simple change to try: put your phone away 30 to 60 minutes before bed.

More Tips for Managing Stress

• Build routines early. Regular sleep and prepped meals make hard weeks easier.
• Don't wear "busy" as a badge. Exhaustion isn't proof of success.
• Use campus resources. Counseling, tutoring, advising, and disability services are there for you, crisis or not.
• Schedule school like a shift. Blocked study time is easier to protect than "whenever I get a minute."
• Ask about flexibility early. Most instructors respond better to planning ahead than to a late assignment.

The Upsides You Might Not Expect

Managing stress does more than raise your grades:

• You get time back. A rested brain studies faster.
• You build a skill employers want. Handling pressure without burning out will serve you in every job.
• You might enjoy it. Many students rediscover curiosity and joy in learning once they're not running on empty.

Where to Get Help

Asking for help is a strategy too. Here are a few resources to keep in mind:

• Your campus counseling center. Most colleges offer free or low-cost counseling to enrolled students.

• Your campus disability or accessibility services office. They may be able to set up accommodations for a disability, learning difference, or health condition that affects your learning. You usually need to register with them before accommodations start, so reach out early.

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988, or chat online, any time of day. You don't have to be in a crisis to reach out. Stress and overwhelm count.

• 211 Maryland. Dial 211 for help finding food, housing, utility assistance, and mental health providers near you.

• Central Scholarship. If money stress is part of what you're carrying, their scholarships and supplemental funding may help.

If you're in immediate danger, call 911.

Managing stress isn't a detour from success. It's how you get there. You deserve to finish what you started, and to feel like yourself while you do it.

Alexia N. Smith, MS, LCPC-S, is a Central Scholarship Alumna, licensed counselor, burnout recovery and belonging consultant, speaker, and founder of The Divine Perseverance, a Baltimore-based firm that helps healthcare, higher education, and public service organizations reduce burnout-driven leave and turnover and build cultures where people can recover and still belong.