As the semester draws to an agonizingly slow close, stress levels are at an all time high. Pressures from all angles weigh down on students in all programs. Holidays and the work schedules that come with them, internship and co-op applications, final projects and exams – not to mention an attempt at a social life. To make matters worse, most students have probably run out of OSAP this late in the semester. I know I have.

The problem is not necessarily the stress itself, a little bit of pressure can push you to work harder, get more done, to really focus on what’s important.It’s that we all feel like we’re in it alone. This is, of course, just not true. Last year, time magazine reported that student stress was at an all time high. The Higher Education Research Institute does a survey every year, and has done so for the last 25 years. They surveyed 200 000 college students at more than 300 schools and found that many of them, almost 50%, felt that their stress levels were very high, higher than that of their classmates. 2010 saw a record low for first-year student self-declared mental health levels. The drop out rate for first years in Ontario is a shocking 16%, and 10% for every year after.

It seem to be an uphill battle, and the other side is nowhere in sight. So what can we do?

I think it’s important that students know that they aren’t alone in their struggles. Everyone else in the school is going through the same things. None of us can keep up. Study groups, like the one in the much loved TV show Community, can help break up the tension by giving students a helping hand. There are more people to keep track of what assignments are coming up, when they exam dates are, and what subjects you should be studying. But it’s important to remember to take some time for you. Relax, watch TV, read a book, bake some cookies, anything to get your mind off the mountains of things you have to accomplish. The most important thing? Sleep. It helps you concentrate and keeps your mind sharp. 73% of students report sleep problems, so you’re not the only one skipping out on their 8 hours a night. Schedule it after your relaxation time so you can wind down and set an alarm. Don’t get out of bed until it goes off. You’ll feel better, you’ll look better, and most importantly you’ll think better.

And remember, this won’t last forever. Real life and real jobs are right around the corner. When you’re finished here, you’ll be glad you made it to the end.