Phaecharoensook 1

Jocelyn Phaecharoensook
Professor Silva
Health 44
13 December 2015
Case Study Analysis
Katya is a freshman with a 3.0 grade point average. Just like many students, she
studies diligently but still experiences anxiety before tests. The end of the semester is
near and she must do well on her exams or shell lose her scholarship. The pressure of
doing well and holding onto her scholarships has overwhelmed her to the point of
anxiety attacks. While studying for her chemistry exam which is in two days, she
experiences an anxiety attack which is stressful for her mentally and keeping her from
retaining information while studying. She is looking for help but unsure where to find it.
Katyas situation is a common scenario for the modern college student. Schools are
becoming increasingly competitive and the stress and pressure can become
overwhelming.
I experience exactly what Katyas feeling every single time I have a test, whether
Im confident in the subject or not. I can dedicate hours to studying and it will all fall right
out the window the next day, its the anxiety and stress that affects me enough mentally
to completely throw me off even if I know the material. There are ways to alleviate stress
and work through it, you just have to find the right method for you because everyone is
different. Katyas scenario is not isolated, a lot of people I know also suffer from stress

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and anxiety, its important to remember that you arent the only one, and one test is not
going to determine your whole future.
My first recommendation for Katya would be to study smarter, not harder.
Dedicating many hours to studying isnt enough, its important to find the right method
for you. One test isnt going to determine your success for the rest of your life, its easy
to get tunnel vision and think single-minded.
Stress was used to mean a resistance against forces which hinder them from
disturbing an object or an individual. When confronted with stress, the body
undergoes a three-phase reaction. These are alarm reaction, resistance phase, and
exhaustion phase. The symptoms of stress were classified as physical,
psychological, and behavioral. In the studies conducted so far, it has been found that
university students with identity and interaction problems experience loneliness,
depression, and adaptation problems and they have difficulties in dealing with
university life (UURLU).
Its important to remember that one bad test score will not be the end of the world,
detaching so much pressure can help lower the stress level connected to it. Like Katya,
Ive stressed over a test for weeks, that combined stress is very draining and does more
harm than good. There are many ways to get help whether its professional or
unprofessional. Ive always found having a friend to help study helps, theyre also great
cheerleaders for keeping your morale up! There are forums, hotlines, and counselors at
school and online, if Katya feels like the stress is hurting her psychologically I would
definite recommend looking for assistance.

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In conclusion, I believe Katya should find a way to alleviate some of the stress of
being a student, whether its studying smarter, realizing that one grade wont determine
the success of her entire life, or finding assistance through programs or friends. Katya
isnt alone in her struggles, students everyday go through the psychological and mental
stress that she does, including myself. Its physically draining and effects your body in
every way, its important to remember that added stress and worry will only make it
worse. Its great that she studies diligently, but it also takes the right mindset. A change
in perspective or mentality can completely alter your approach and state of mind. Its
healthy to re-evaluate to reduce stress levels and calm your nerves, especially as a
student who has to balance many things at one time.

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Works Cited
UURLU, N., & ONA, N. (2009). RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STRESS-COPING
LEVELS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND THEIR PROBABILITY OF
COMMITTING SUICIDE.Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal,
37(9), 1221-1230.