All of us come into this world the same way, but how we spend those days is another story. Life is only as demanding as we make it. There are lines that have to be drawn, lessons to be learned, and decisions to be made. In the crazy world we live in today, it’s hard not to be weighed down with stress. Here are five ways to figure out how to handle yours:

1. Get involved, but not too involved. Part of our daily routine is repetition. Wake up, go to class, go to work, do homework and sleep (if you’re lucky). We often become too wrapped up in our own problems that we cannot see what we can contribute to others. Whether it’s joining an intramural team on campus, volunteering a couple hours of your week to a notable cause, or just being a great friend, a little change can sometimes go a long way.

2. Take care of your body. It’s the only one you’ve got, so you better start respecting it. By not giving yourself enough sleep, healthy foods and exercise, you’re draining your body of its ability to fight off illness. If you feel like you can’t eat healthy food, talk to a doctor or go to the Student Health Center about a daily vitamin routine. Exercising doesn’t have to look like a P90X commercial. The American College of Sports Medicine (acsm.org) has plenty of tips for getting fit.

3. Avoid unhealthy relationships. We’re all guilty of putting ourselves in situations that could be avoided if we had a little more confidence. If someone is belittling you, talking badly about you to others, or isn’t including you in their life when you’ve made time for them, then it’s time to let go. Relationships are a two-way street, whether they’re intimate or platonic. Sacrifice is part of life, and it’s easier said than done, but it’s not healthy if you find yourself becoming someone’s option instead of a priority.

4. Find an outlet. Figuring out who you are shouldn’t happen when your best friend becomes Jack Daniels. Drinking and even experimenting with drugs are often parts of young people’s lives, but using these to cope with daily stress is a big no-no. The power of search engines like Google is endless in this age, so finding a hobby you enjoy shouldn’t be a daunting task. Think of something you loved as a child and go with that. Playing Frisbee, writing stories, painting, playing music or planning events might just be your niche.

5. Learn to say no. I’m not talking about the D.A.R.E. slogan. Taking on too much responsibility really weighs down on your daily life. If you feel like you’re drowning in a sea of assignments, activities and your own life’s obligations, take a deep breath. Make a list of everything that is absolutely necessary in your life, and what is simply extra. By filtering out the extras that make your day a little crazier than it should be, you’re on the right path.

Samantha Costa is a senior journalism major, pharmacy technician, and freelance writer for the Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, N.J. This column is not intended to be medical advice. If you have any questions or need medical advice, contact the Student Health Center or your own doctor.

I ended up losing that boxing fight. I finished, but it was clear to everyone who had won. I yanked off the gloves and flopped down on the grass, exhausted.

Why am I telling this story? Because I learned something important: what it meant to have fear. I learned what it meant to be truly stressed and why my everyday life was killing me, one false alarm at a time.

Stress, because of its subjective nature, is hard to define. In general though, it can be called “a state of mental, emotional, or other strain; an environmental response.”

Stress comes in two varieties: eustress and distress. Eustress is the good kind that gets you pumped up before a big game and also triggers the fight or flight response (what gets you out of the way of a speeding car). Distress is the negative kind that happens when your brain’s normal routines are being constantly adjusted and altered.

We need stress, both negative and positive, to handle the changing world and survive. Many of us today are chronically stressed, constantly on edge or bouncing from peak to peak. We worry about grades, jobs, money and why our friend posted that Facebook status. We’re always afraid and we can’t handle it. This is why we burn our systems out.

The effects of too much stress are vast, both mental and physical. The American Institute of Stress lists some common symptoms as headaches, depression, anger and increased susceptibility to colds. If left untreated, stress can create anxiety disorders, heart disease, insomnia and a host of other serious conditions.

Many health professionals recommend any number of stress reducing techniques, like meditation, mindfulness or breathing exercises. While the effectiveness of these techniques is still being tested, the results so far have been largely positive. Studies show that even something as simple as a 20-minute walk outdoors or sitting in a quiet room can lower blood pressure and heart rate and raise cognitive ability.

I would recommend another, unorthodox step. You should not attempt to reduce stress, but rather to understand it. After my fight, I spent the rest of the week in a more relaxed state than I’d felt in months. Everyday trials didn’t seem to affect me like before. Like the famous “Fight Club” quote from Edward Norton said, “After fighting, everything else in your life gets the volume turned down.”

I’m not recommending that you punch the next person you see. I’m saying that everyone could use a wake-up call every now and then. It is this recognition of true, acute distress (as opposed to chronic distress) that can bring someone back to earth.  Try something challenging and nerve-wracking, like public speaking. Do anything that gets you out of your day-in, day-out, pressure-cooker lifestyle.

We all have stress, but we don’t have to ignore it or force it away. We can use it. Once you understand when it’s real and helpful you can wield it, then let go of it when it’s not. True health is a happy middle ground. You just have to figure out where that is for you.

“It’s getting to the time in the semester where we see a lot of students coming into the center,” said CPSC psychologist Sarah Whitman. “Many students are focusing on how to accomplish term papers and handle finals coming up.”

Whitman opened the seminar discussing what stress actually encompasses, focusing on the pressure and tension one feels due to certain circumstances. Stress stems from how an individual thinks and those thoughts will influence how one feels.

Stress can come from financial pressures, returning home to parents and the war affects one’s functioning.

“Just because finals are coming up doesn’t mean that there aren’t other things stressing us out,” Whitman said.

Illustrating how thoughts influence feelings, students participated in an exercise discussing how the term “Thanksgiving” impacts behavior.

“Thinking can influence feeling, thinking about the good food makes you salivate,” Whitman said. “But someone with an eating disorder, how might they feel? After losing a family member, someone might want to cry during the dinner.”

Aside from coming to terms with the holidays, many students face challenging exams and a laundry list of assignments. Whereas some students remain confident due to prior grades, others fight to stay positive in subjects they may have struggled with. She demonstrated the best way to approach stress is through management.

Whitman indicates many times anxiety provides the motivation students may sometimes lack.

“You cannot get rid of stress,” Whitman said. “It’s a part of our life. Sometimes stress is even helpful.”

Yet approaching stress appropriately remains central to success and good health.

The center published techniques to overcome anxiety. Such practices include relaxation exercises, which focus on clearing our mind and breathing cadence; exercise, a balanced diet, time management and evaluating thoughts will also help. Whitman says students should avoid generalizing or “catastrophyzing” experiences such as a poor test grade.

Overall, the Counseling and Psychological Services Center specializes in free counseling, crisis evaluation, consultation and psychiatric testing.

“More permanent ways of decreasing your stress takes focus and a little bit of time,” Whitman said. “The tricky part is staying with a specific goal and setting aside time to commit to it.”

Students can make appointments by calling extension 4222 or at the center located on the third floor of Savitz Hall.