Sample College Essay

Stress is derived from the French word ‘destresse’ meaning placed under narrowness or oppression.
Stress has been called “the invisible disease” It may affect you, your organization and any of the people in it. So you cannot afford to ignore it.
Stress in an individual is also defined as any interference that disturbs a person’s healthy mental and physical well-being. It occurs when the body is required to perform beyond its normal range of capabilities/capacities.
Stress is a:
“Funny” emotion!!
Or
Like a fire (enjoy its glow or fan them into huge fire).
Most of us handle routine stress readily. We can resolve our feelings and dissipate the tension. What is stressful for one person, however, may not be for another. Therefore it may be counter productive to tell someone not to worry about a situation, if we don’t consider the same situation as stressful. We all react to situations differently; it is just being human.

Sources Of Stress
Every person has a personality that makes him/her different from others. The factors causing stress vary from person to person. Common sources of stress include Family matters, Financial issues, Living conditions, Corporate culture, Role ambiguity, Role conflict, Job overload, Working conditions, Managerial work.
Any changes in the routines of our lives – even welcome ones can be stressful. Following is the list of a few events (derived from the above mentioned sources) that can cause stress. Again the impact may vary from person to person.
Death of a spouse Divorce
Marital separation Personal injury or illness
Marriage Dismissal from work
Marital reconciliation Retirement
Change in health of a family member Pregnancy
Sex difficulties Gain of a new family member
Business readjustment Change in financial state
Death of a close friend Change to different line of work
Change in no. of argument with spouse Major mortgage
Foreclosure of mortgage or loan Change in responsibilities at work
Son or daughter leaving home Trouble with in-laws
Outstanding personal achievement Partner begins or stops work
Begin or end school Change in living conditions
Revision of personal habits Trouble with boss
Change in work hours or conditions Change in residence

Change in Schools Change in recreation
Change in Social activities Change in sleeping habits
Changes in number of family get together Change in eating habits
Minor violation of the law
The above events show the wide range of stressors in our lives.
Effects
The effects of stress may accrue in three dimensions namely:
1. Physiological (Body and on physical health and well being)
The indications of physiological stress include Back pain, Constipation, Diahorrea, Dizziness, Excess perspiration, Exhaustion, Fainting, Headaches, and Insomnia.
2. Psychological
The apparent signs of stress in terms of psychological effects include:
Anger, Anxiety, Apathy, Boredom, Depression, Fatigue, Fear of Death, Frustration, Guilt, Hopelessness, Hostility, Impatience, Inability to concentrate, Irritability, Restlessness, Rejection.
3. Behavior
Human behavior depicts different Levels of stress and the apparent symptoms include:
Biting lips, Foot tapping, Grinding teeth, Impulsive action, Moving in tense, Jerky ways, Nervous ticks, Over-reacting, Stuttering, Touching hair, ears or nose, Swearing, Trembling hands.
Strategies For Managing Stress
Basically the stress management strategies are grouped in four avenues.
1. Change Our Internal Attitudes
· Develop social support that reduces our sense of aloneness.
· Discuss troubles with spouse, parents and friends.
· Develop a sense of humor about the situation.
· Balance work and play.
· Seek solace in prayers.
· Seek professional help, if necessary.
2. Change Our Interaction With The Environment
· Improve our time management/ conflict management skills.
· Work smarter, not harder.
· Be assertive.
· Identify areas for possible changes in functioning.
· Slow down.
3. Change Our Physical Ability To Cope
· Get adequate and proper nutrition.
· Engage in regular sports and exercise.
· Develop some recreational activities.
· Get enough sleep and rest.
· Cut down on intake stressors (i.e. caffeine, nicotine etc).
· Avoid taking drugs.
4. Change Our Environment
· Introduce change/variety in work activities.
· Take regular vacations or time off.
· Change job/vocation/residence.

Dr. Wesley E. Sime (1997), presenting the core concepts of Stress Management, suggested the coping mechanisms as follows
Distinguish between defense mechanisms and coping mechanisms
Usual Defense Coping Strategy
Repression (blocking out) Letting go of the past
Denial (refusal to accept) Maintain hope for the better
Displacement (take it out on others) Take it out on a punching bag
Projection (blaming others) Help others get over it
Rationalization (excuses) Re-structure the incident

Conclusion
Too much stress can have a negative personal impact, although an appropriate amount of stress is an important part of being an effective person. Without some stress, many of us would not even bother to get out of bed in the morning. A certain amount of stress helps us stay on our toes and motivates us to achieve a standard of excellence that is powerful step in promoting self-esteem. Finding the balance between too much and too little stress is the goal.

References
Sime, Wesley E. (1997). Stress Management: A Review of Principles. Retrieved from the World Wide Web:
http://www.unl.edu/stress/mgmt/