Worry less, limit stress

Last week, the Academic Advising Center presented its Fitness Workshop Series on both campuses to help students relieve stress from school.

Last Wednesday, more than 45 students attended the Academic Fitness Workshop Series presentation, titled “Mindfulness,” on the Brownsville campus. The same presentation was made April 17 on the Edinburg campus.

“What we are trying to achieve is to get our students less stressful,” said Rey Rangel, an academic adviser on the Edinburg campus.

The workshops have been taking place throughout the semester and focus on budgeting, studying, managing stress, depression, among others.

“Most students are dealing with stuff at home or dealing with finances and social stresses, so that is what we are trying to relieve by at least showing them and introducing them to a practice that they might find helpful,” Rangel said.

During the workshops, students are offered snacks, prizes and flyers on how to improve their mindfulness, budgeting, etc.

“The goal is to make it an approachable place,” said Elizabeth Cuevas, an academic adviser on the Brownsville campus. “We can do a lot more than recommend classes.”

Rangel said right before finals is when students stress the most.

“As the Academic Advising Center, we really want to try to relieve that stress as much as we can and also just let them know that we are there to mentor them, coach them and guide them,” he said.

Rangel recommends students relax and leave school for a little break.

“Go have fun with your family or just on your own and relieve yourself from stress,” he said.

Cuevas said these events are to bring skills that students may find supportive for their academic endeavor.

“We thought the mindfulness was important right before finals are coming up,” she said, adding that it is OK to take a pause to regroup.

“The goal of this session is to offer different ways to kind of reset your mind, so that we can focus on what we need to take care of,” she said.

This week, academic advisers will offer workshops to prepare students for final exams. The workshops will be at 12:15 p.m. today in Student Academic Center 1.102 on the Edinburg campus and 12:15 p.m. Wednesday in Sabal Hall 1.106 on the Brownsville campus.

“We will have lots of study tips, snacks,” Cuevas said. “We are giving little study packs, flashcards, highlighters. It’s really cute. I’d love for [students] to come; we have great prizes and tacos.”

For more information about workshops, advising and how to deal with stress, email Cuevas at elizabeth.cuevas@utrgv.edu.