Overcoming stress through Effective Communication

In this time of pandemic, it is inevitable for every student to feel burned out. Pandemic exposed student
to psychological distress, fatigue, burnout, fear, stigma therefore it is of outmost importance the
effective communication should be ensured at home, families and communities. Communication is the
most important part of any educational process, the aim of which is to transfer or exchange ideas and
thoughts. It would be provided appropriately if the student had the communication skills.

In my SHS life, I was juggling a full activities load, a personal problem, and a social life. A few days into
dealing my stuff, I was exhausted, stressed, and strapped for time—all during my semester of SHS. Why?
Because I don't have anyone to rely on, not even my family. I'm not vocal when it comes to my feelings,
which is wrong. I believe that in order for us to cope up with stress, burned out and anxiety we should
have a good venting session with a trusted friend or family member that can help us clear our mind and
figure out a plan to reverse the burnout cycle. Education and adulthood can often feel like a solitary
pursuit. There’s always something being added to the already-heavy load on our shoulders. But we don’t
have to go through it alone. There's a lot of people whom feel or have felt the same way, so starting a
dialogue can be mutually beneficial which I just discovered earlier.

I get easily frustrated or angry wherever I stressed out which have a negative effect on my
communication skills. Oftentimes, I want to draw within myself and isolate from people. I am aware that
when this happens, communication is impaired and I am not able to receive a proper support and care
from people around me. Often our stress levels get out of hand when we’re doing a poor job
communicating with others. There are times in our lives when no one is able to help us with our stress
load. Still, there are other times we could reduce our stress through communication. If the activities are
too difficult, I often reach out to my professor. Through that they will see that I am genuinely making an
effort and they may be able to find a way or offer help during an online class session.

I have learned to my mom that one way to avoid stress is to communicate early. Instead of waiting until
I reach a boiling point, I let my friends, or loved one know when something frustrates me. By expressing
frustration or disappointment gently, I can de-escalate potentially stressful situations. Likewise, I will
listen when they are expressing their feelings or advice. I let them explain how things affect me and try
not to interrupt them.

Most importantly, I have learned that when we feel overwhelmed or stressed in life, we should reach
out to someone. Talk to someone about the things that are causing us stress and about the emotions
that we're having.