October 18, 2011
Volume XXXIV, Issue 3 See Ridgebacks Page 35
See Terri Page 26
DC girls drive it home
Scream out all the stress Sarah Hyatt The Chronicle
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Zak McLachlan
CHAMPIONS AGAIN: Kayleigh Kraemer, Tiffany Albath and head coach Mike Duggan celebrate winning the OCAA championships for the second year in a row.
See Durham Page 33
ating on the run, poor sleeping patterns, worries about money, studies, work, relationships and that never ending to-do-list all eventually add up. People from all walks of life experience being overwhelmed and stressed at one point, and students are no exception. In fact stressed-out-students are on the rise. “We’ve seen a huge increase in students seeking assistance within the last two years,” said Mary-Alice Harvey, a Mental Health Nurse at Durham College’s Campus Health Centre. However, stress can be a relatively healthy and normal part of everyday life. The secret is learning to manage it, said Harvey. First, eat, sleep, and exercise. Eat a healthy diet, eat regularly, and exercise. Physical activity is proven to reduce stress and promote a healthier self-image. Thirdly, sleep is not overrated. According to Health Canada, statistics show people who are more sleep deprived have a harder time focusing, learning and remembering. Finding healthy alternatives to getting emotions and builtup stress out is also important.
Venting emotions through writing can help, or talking with a friend or family member. Other activities students may want to try include punching or screaming into a pillow, or the wet-dog activity. “Basically, go into the bathroom, or a private room, sit there and scream ahhhhhhhhhhhh, and shake like a wet-dog, it clears your mind and allows you to get some of that pent up frustration out,” said Harvey. Avoid irrational thinking and engage in positive self-talk. “We get a lot of students that say, I was successful in high school, a straight A-student, and here I’ve hit college, I’m completely snowed, I can’t seem to get a grip on this…and they start to negative talk and pound themselves with a little hammer. Or you hear, if I fail this test my parents are going to kill me, so instead of focusing on the studying and learning aspect students are more concerned with OMG I’m going to die tomorrow if I fail this… completely irrational thinking,” said Harvey. Instead, students should start by identifying stressors. Knowing the cause of the problem enables people to find strategies and solutions.
See Tools Page 2
Present and future career opportunities for students Nicole Patton The Chronicle
I
t was a day full of introductions and handshakes as the sixth annual Career and Education Fair arrived at the Oshawa campus. Durham College and UOIT students
filled gyms three and four of the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre in the hopes of finding a new career or internship. “A friend told me about the fair,” said Michelina Dipasquale, an executive Office Administration student from
Durham. “So I kind of got up and dressed a bit differently.” Dipasquale’s friend Rebekah Hale said she was just passing by the fair and decided to go in.
See Career Page 2
Nicole Patton
RECRUITING: DRPS representative Ann Maclsaac informs students at the Career and Education Fair.