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8The Daily Tar HeelWednesday, April 27, 1983
Counselors say all-nigliters and junk food can increase exam stress
By MARY LEVENSON
Special to the DTH ,
' '
r'The day before, 1 couldn't eat. I felt like I couldn't keep
anything down. 1 cried. I'd come home and I was crying.
"I couldn't sleep the night before ... I was afraid when I
walked in there I'd forget everything that I'd learned that I'd
just go blank ... I could feel every heartbeat. I was so nervous I
was shaking."
Those are the experiences that one student, Elaine, had before
taking a zoology exam her freshman year. But, the -feelings she
described are symptoms of a condition that many students,
.whether constant studiers or last-minute crammers, experience.
They are symptoms of stress.
"Stress is anything that places a demand on you that causes you
to cope. It causes you to react to it," said Sherry Stuckey, who
counsels over 2,000 UNC students each year on how to cope with
stress and academic problems.
"There's probably more extreme anxiety that we don't know
about because a lot of people may never seek help," Stuckey said.
A case of extreme exam anxiety is "someone who might have
to throw up before they go to the exam and is so nervous that
their hands are really shaking," Stuckey said.
"And when they get to the exam they just totally blank out on
everything they know. They can't remember anything," she said.
"They get so nervous that it's very hard to even write on the
exam."
Erica Wise, a psychologist at the UNC Student Health Service,
said people experience stress in different ways.
"Symptoms of stress vary a lot from person to person. Some
common ones are difficulty sleeping, anxiety attacks, rapid heart
beat, perspiration- and difficulty concentrating," Wise said.
"Some people have gastric system problems, feeling a loss of ap
petite, feeling nauseous."
Wise said stress can cause people to feel overwhelmed and wor
ried. Some students have problems concentrating and feel like
there's a dark cloud hanging over them, she said. -
"It can become a negative cycle," Wise said. "If someone has
trouble concentrating, they're going to feel more anxious because
they can't get their work done. And that makes it even harder to
concentrate." ' " " .
Academic stress is caused by external events like pressure from
parents, professors and exams, Wise said. Academic stress is also
sparked by internal pressures that students put on themselves to
excel. .
"For a lot of students, their self-esteem is dependent on
grades," Wise said. "They feel like a failure if they don't do well.
And that creates a lot of pressure."
Elaine said she identifies strongly with academics, "I feel like I
study all the time," she said. "If I don't do welC I feel like I
should have tried a little bit harder , . . I do it all to myself."
Dr. Glenn Martin, the assistant director for individual counsel
ing at UNC, said, "For some people I see, they're spending 10
hours a day studying. That's all they know studying, the
library and worrying about grades."
Freshmen are especially susceptible to stress, Martin said. "For
a lot of students, for the very first time, they're reaching their
limits. It's upsetting to find out you can't always get an A."
"Many students come here and were at the top of their class in
high school," Wise said. "It can be a shock for people to realize
they're in the middle of the group rather than at the top."
In some cases, a fear of failure may lead to anxiety, Stuckey
said. "When it's an extreme case, sometimes it can be a lot of
thoughts in your mind like just telling yourself 'I'm going to fail. I
can't do this subject, " Stuckey said.
"If they haven't done well in the subject all year, they can get
so worked up over it that they just can't take the exam, or they get
so concerned that they're going to fail," she said.
Stuckey teaches students to identify and dispute negative, irra
tional thought processes such as a fear of failure. She said
students lose their perspective when they begin thinking that they
are going to fail or an exam is going to be terrible. In most cases,
the situation isn't as bad as a student thinks, she said.
. If students are overwhelmed by the amount of work they have
to do at the last minute, Stuckey advises them to concentrate on
specific areas of their subject.
"You can't do all that you want. So, select those things that are
going to be best to study," she said. .
. "Learning how to relax is important," Martin said. "You've
got to learn how to let go, to have activities."
Relaxation is doing anything that gives you pleasure, according
to the Final Exams SurvivaJ Kit distributed by the Student
Development and Counseling Center. Some people relax by
meditating, listening to music, practicing breath control, practic
ing muscle relaxation or reading a good book. People also relax
. by jogging, swimming, gardening or doing volunteer work.
"Other people go out and have a good time on a Friday night,"
Martin said. "I think that's real important."
Stuckey teaches students how to combat stress by eating proper
ly. That means avoiding too much sugar, salt and caffeine, ac
cording to the Final Exams Survival Kit.
"Pay attention to your body. After you've studied for long
periods of time, you're going to be tense in your neck and in your
back," she said. "And when you get tense in your body, it makes
you tired more easily. " v" ."
"Naturally, a lot of people are doing some intensive studying,"
Stuckey said. "But, to cram to the point of doing all-nighters
we try to discourage that.
"We want them to try to keep their schedule as regular and as
close to normal as they can because our bodies are going to react
when we make our schedule really abnormal," Stuckey said.
. Martin said students need to be more realistic about their study
ing expectations.
"I think the major thing for final exams for most students is to
make sure you're prepared adequately," Martin said. -
"The other thing that students need to keep in mind is that
there is a limit to the amount of time you can spend productively
studying each day." It's important to include some leisure time,
Martin said.
However, stress is not always a negative experience.
"Not all stress is destructive," Martin said. "Stress in a lot of
cases helps you perform at your peak. It can keep you studying
and make you sharp for exams.
"Unless you're stressed," she said, "it's hard to study for eight
hours a day. It's hard to do the things that college students have
to do."
Stuckey said, "Everybody has a certain level of stress and
pressure that they need to perform well. But, when it gets to be
distress, there's so much stress that they're not performing at their
highest level. That's when they need to take a look at it."
Library exam schedule
The following are the hours of the Wilson and Undergraduate Libraries during the exam period:
WILSON LIBRARY
SPRING EXAM SCHEDULE
Sat., April 30 , 9 a.m. -10 p.m.
Sun., May 1 . .' 2 p.m. - midnight
Mon., May 2 - Fri., May 6 8 a.m. - midnight
Sat., May 7 9a.m. -10p.m.
Sun., May 8 . 2 p.m. - midnight
Mon., May 9 - Tues., May 10 8 a.m. - midnight
Weds., May 11 8 a.m. -5 p.m.
' UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARY:
. -SPRING EXAM SCHEDULE
Sat.,April30 9a.m.-2a.m.
Sun., May 1 10 a.m. - ALL NIGHT
Mon., May 2 -Thurs., May 5 24 HOURS
Fri.,May6 Closeat2a.m.
Sat., May 7 .......... 9 a.m. - 2 a.m.
Sun., May 8 10 a.m. - 2 a.m.
Mon., May 9 - Tues., May 10 8 a.m. - 2 a.m.
Wed., May 11 . . ." 8 a.m. -5 p.m.
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SCAU's
HOUSING GUIDE
THE SOUTHERN
PART OF HEAVEN?
The new '83-84 edition will be available on
Wednesday April 27. You can pick one up at
the Union Desk, Carr Building or The SGAU
Office in Suite B in The Carolina Union.
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CAMPUS CALENDAR
Compiled by Janet CMsoa
Public service announcements must be turned into the box outside the DTH offices in He Carotins Unioa by 1 p.m. if
(bey are to be run the next day. Only announcements from University recognized and campus organizations will be printed.
AB announcements must be limited to 25 words and can only run for two days, la the event that the Cakdar dots aot ran
because of space (imitations, groups should turn in announcements at least two days in advance to ensure they ran at least
once. - r
TODAY'S ACTIVITIES
Alpha Chi Sigma will hold a called meeting at 7 p.m. in 221
VenableHaU.
Pi Delta Phi French Honor Society elections will be held at
4:30 p.m. in 205 Dey Hall. Members are urged to attend.
There win be a homecoming meeting for the CAA Com
mittee at 6:45 in the Carolina Union, please check at the desk
for room number. '
The due, the hottest new rock band in the Triangle, will per
form at 8 p.m. in the Great Hall. Rock to Men at Work, Styx,
The Producers and more.
The third annual By the Old WeD Tourist Picnic is set for 3
p.m. All interested tourists are urged to attend. Call the guide
at 933-3476 for tour information.
The Mu Zeta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
will hold an informal interest meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the
Carolina Union. y
UNC Hash House Harriers will meet at S p.m. at the
Morehead Planetarium sun dial. All runners slow and fast are
welcome to join this unique fun run.
The Soviet Studies Discussion Group will meet at 6 p.m. in
102C Lenoir Hall.
An Essay-Exam Workshop will be held at 4 p.m. in 101
Greenlaw Hall. Call the Writing Lab at 962-4060 for more in
formation. The Carolina Symposium meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m.
in the Carolina Union. All interested persons are welcome.
There will be an Off -cam pus Student Association meeting at
4:30 p.m. All off-campus students are welcome.
COMING EVENTS
There will be a meeting of the Buddhist Studies Association -at
7 p.m. Thursday in the Carolina Union. Bring cushions.
The Committee on Undergraduate Education will meet at 4
p.m. Thursday in the Campus Y.
Fellowship of Christian Athletes will meet at 8:30 p.m. in the
Carolina Union. The end of the year picnic will be from 11
a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday at Camp New Hope. -
IV CF mid -campus win hold its last meeting of the semester
at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Carolina Union. Bryan Slater will
speak on "Strategy That Wins."
"Back From the Front: A Personal Perspective on the VS.
Secret War in Nicaragua," a talk by Gil Joseph, will be held at
8 p.m. Thursday in 569 Hamilton Hall.-
Senior send-off and farewell fellowship will be held at 7 p.m.
Thursday at the Bible Church. It will be hosted by IV CF off
campus chapter.
IVCF south chapter will meet for a potluck supper at 6 p.m.
Thursday in Morrison's second floor lounge. Dr. Jim Cun
ningham will be our guest faculty member. - ,
The Baptist Student Union's annual spring banquet will be
held at 5:45 p.m. Thursday at the BSU. David Moore, Director
of Church & Campus Program Development, will speak.
The public may view student films of RTVMP 87 and 187
class projects at 7:30 p.m. Friday in 1A Swain Hall. Neal
Beard's 77 Crocodile will also be shown.
The Granville chapter of IVCF will hold its final meeting of
the semester at 7 p.m. Friday in the parlor of Chapel of the
Cross. It will be senior night.
The Outing dub will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in the Carolina
Union and during the summer in Forest Theatre. Anyone in
terested in outdoor activities is welcome. .
ITEMS OF INTEREST
A $250 Spooner Awrd for best student film made by a
UNC student between April 29, 1982 and April 29, 1983 will be
given. Film entries must be submitted to 201 A Swain Hall by
Friday.
Lambda, the CGA newsletter is available at the Union Desk
literature rack and at campus libraries.
The new edition of SCAU's Housing Guide The Southern
Part of Heaven? will be available on Wednesday. One can be
obtained at the Union Desk, Carr Building or the SCAU office.
Sign up for Parents. Day football tickets through Thursday
in the Pit.
action
From page 1
"It's a real challenge, but it can be done," she
said. "It is important enough to be prepared to
put the effort into it." '
Cell said it was not impossible to find black
faculty in areas of low minority presence. She
cited the department of statistics, which has a
black faculty member, as an example and said
Come To Yestem Shzlin For
that the likelihood of finding a black professor
in statistics is very low.
According to the report by the Committee on
Black Faculty, there have been five doctorates
awarded to blacks nationwide in statistics be
tween 1979 and 1981.
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