Demi Barrientos

Professor Apiaf
Health 44 (Sec. No. 51753)
Project 3: Case Study
Katyas Stress Filled Case Study
What is stress? The dictionary defnes stress as a state of being emotionally
or mentally tense because of demanding circumstances. My defnition of stress is
working two jobs, attending school full time and trying to balance both a social life
and my family. No matter the circumstance someone is in, there is a huge chance
that theyve experience a form of stress. College students are in my personal
opinion some of the most stressed out people to interact with. A majority of college
student are currently working college students who have to balance not just school
and work but also the pressure society has on them to make in the real world, they
have to balance their social lives, and they have to balance the constant changes
that continue to grow as they themselves grow.
Katya is a college student who is currently going through what many students
go through on a daily bases. Katya is experiencing severe anxiety before taking test
for class even though she studies the material constantly and thoroughly. These
feelings of anxiety are causing Katya to become overstress and second guess
whether she know the material or not. Add to the fact that in order for her to
continue her education and keep her scholarship she needs to pass her chemistry
exam. While trying to study one afternoon, Katya experience a panic attack after
the pressure to do well on her test became too overwhelming for her. With only two

days before her fnal chemistry exam, Katya is looking for ways to help her stop
stressing so that she can focus on passing her test.
Like Katya, I too suffered from extreme anxiety because of stress. My anxiety
was one of the few reason why I stopped attending some classes and school all
together. I felt like there was just much going on and I couldnt catch up to where I
needed be. In an article written by Nathan Seppa, he opens by saying, Ask
anybody stress is bad news. The negative view of stress has been expressed so
consistently that the concept is now built into our vernacular, which is spiced with
advice on avoiding it: Take it easy. Calm down. Chill. (Seppa). I can remember
expressing my problems to some fellow classmates and being turned away or
brushed off with a simple just relax and study comment. They were understanding
that I didnt know how to relax and was in need of some sort of help or advice.
I decided that the best way for myself to stop stressing out about school was
by allowing myself to learn. See I was so blinded by the idea of getting perfect
grades that I was not really learning the material. I started to question myself, sort
of like quiz myself, on the material. Once I started to properly learn the material
than I noticed how less stressed I started to become. My mind would not allow me
to stress on getting the good score, it focus on learning what was in front of me.
Some advice I would give to Katya to help her situation is to ask questions
and try and get the answer. Stop thinking that youre in a do or die situation with
school because of your grade. You the time to study to focus on what is written in
front of you and understand the material. I feel that it is important for her to stop
overthinking about everything. Katya should also take breaks when needed because
too much studying might be the cause of stress. She ends up over-studying the

material and might be overlooking somethings making her feel as if she doesnt
know that material when she restudies.

Reference Page:
Seppa N. The Mess That Is Stress. (cover story). Science News [serial online]. March
7, 2015;187(5):18-23. Available from: Health Source - Consumer Edition, Ipswich,
MA. Accessed August 9, 2015