It's that time of year again, finals are steadily approaching, Thanksgiving is right around the corner and right after it's Christmas. Each of these has one key factor in common: stress, however, do not take it lightly because it can afflict a person not only mentally but also physically and emotionally. Some manage to overlook it without a second thought, while others are suddenly bombarded by it. Symptoms of high stress include muscle tension, nausea, high blood pressure, fatigue, irritability, a looming sense of being overwhelmed, mood swings, forgetfulness, repetitive thoughts and difficulty concentrating. For most it is the latter of the two. Stress alone can be beneficial in small doses, or it can be destructive if it grows out of control with poor stress management. Stress can become overwhelming without a proper balance of activities. Creating a balance between activities such as general well-being, eating habits, sleeping habits, and exercise can drastically help you gain the ability to cope with an overwhelming stressor, as stated by James Archer and Christina Carroll “You can use the following guidelines to help manage your stress: understand your role in stress reactions, develop a balanced lifestyle and effective personal organization, learn specific relaxation techniques, gain perspective on problems by discussing them, and clarify your values ​​along with developing a sense of spirituality. Having a consistent balance between time spent indoors and outdoors can greatly improve your level of balance with stress and daily life. Discussing problems you may be facing is another great way to deal with stress. Most of the time, when the walls close in talking, in the middle of paper, it helps to not end up in a trip to the hospital or a visit to a psychiatrist. “While it may seem impossible to reinforce the good things in your life when you feel like tearing your hair out, constructive thinking can help you see the proverbial glass half full.” (Emily Driscoll 2011) Works Cited Archer, James, Ph. D, and Christina Carroll, Ph. D. “Stress and College Students.” Stress and university students. University of Florida Counseling Center, 2003. Web. November 19, 2013. .Driscoll, Emily. “College Stress: What Causes It and How to Fight It.” Fox business. Fox Business, March-April. 2011. Network. November 18, 2013. Rogge, Timothy, MD, and David Zieve, MD. "Panic disorder with agoraphobia". NCBI. US National Library of Medicine, February-March. 2012. Network. November 18. 2013. .