3 Coping Skills for University Students That Actually Work

It’s week seven. You have a lab report due Thursday, a midterm Friday, and a group project where nobody has responded in the group chat. Your to-do list keeps growing, and you feel frozen. Doomscrolling feels easier than starting any of those to-dos.

If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. And it does not mean you’re doing university “wrong.”

Why Does University Stress Hit So Hard?

University asks a lot of you all at once. You’re managing deadlines, money, relationships, and often living on your own for the first time, all while trying to figure out who you are and what your future holds. That pile-up takes a real toll on student mental health.

When a big exam looms, your brain may read the stress it causes as a threat and switch into fight-or-flight mode. Your heart speeds up. Your focus narrows. Sleep gets harder. These physical responses are meant to protect us from danger, which is great. But it’s not so great when you need to prep for an important test.

3 Coping Strategies for Students That Actually Work

Try these three healthy coping skills, grounded in how your brain handles stress.

1. Shrink larger tasks into smaller ones

Overwhelm usually comes from staring at the whole “mountain” in front of you. Psychologists researching procrastination have found that it comes from avoiding uncomfortable feelings that a task stirs up, like stress or self-doubt. And beating yourself up only adds more of those feelings.

So, try breaking larger tasks into several smaller tasks. For example, instead of “write my essay,” try “open the doc and write two messy sentences.” Doing this can lower the barrier that keeps you avoiding the work.

2. Use your exhale to cope with academic stress

A long, slow breath out tells your nervous system it’s safe to stand down. In a Stanford study made up mostly of undergraduate students, just five minutes a day of an exhale-focused technique called cyclic sighing improved mood and lowered anxiety.

Here’s how to do it:

• Breathe in deeply through your nose.

• Take a second short sip of air at the top of the first breath.

• Then let it all out slowly through your mouth.

3. Name what you’re feeling

Research from UCLA found that putting feelings into words can calm the brain’s alarm center. When you name an emotion, you engage the part of your brain responsible for reasoning and self-control, which helps turn the alarm down.

“I’m fine” keeps the feeling buried and the alarm running. “I’m anxious about this presentation” gives your brain something concrete to work with and process. Say it out loud or jot it in your notes app.

You can also tell someone you trust, as studies show that connecting with someone is a healthy way to manage stress.  

When Coping Skills Aren’t Enough

If low mood, panic or exhaustion linger for weeks, or it’s getting hard to get through the school day, that’s a sign to reach out for more support. Working with a mental health professional is another tool to add to your stress management toolbox.

Located in the heart of Saskatoon, our team is ready to meet you where you are and support you in learning how to best cope with academic stress. Contact us today to get started.