On Wednesday, Oct. 25, Rio Hondo Student Health Services hosted a workshop on stress, anxiety and motivation. As the semester progresses towards the end, tests start to arise, some of which are too difficult for students. This pileup can be a reason as to why some students feel overwhelmed too. Thus, Rio Hondo, along with their dedicated health team, created a workshop that allowed them to lecture on what a student can do to help with their anxieties and motivations or lack thereof.

Stress versus Motivation

Now what is stress? In simple detail, stress is the automatic response to any demand, be it mental or physical. For example, a task that can be tolling on you. Depending on how bad the situation is, stress can even trigger your fight, flight, or freeze response. 

So, how does stress connect to motivation? Stress is one of the leading factors to a person’s procrastination period. For stress to be a part of procrastination is that there must be an overwhelming amount of it. Too much stress will make someone want to run away as to not deal with the task. Stress doesn’t stop at work or school. Stress also affects people socially too. 

Anxiety and Motivation workshop

            The Student Health Service’s Anxiety and Motivation workshop had one goal in mind, to teach students the best way to be motivated even when stressed. Glenn Heayo and Guadalupe Villegas, both therapists of SHS, presented this workshop. Both Heayo and Villegas gave a good presentation, with Heayo sitting with the students who attended rather than standing for most of the workshop. 

After introductions were made, Haeyo wanted to know his audience, he wanted to know what stressed them out and what they did to help them stay motivated. This got his audience to be more casual, more open with him and Villagas. Even going as far as to tell them what made them stressed like school, work, relationships, and many other things.

There were many things the two lecturers got across. Villegas even taught the students something called the stress curve which could measure what too little stress and too much stress could do to a student or anyone.

“It is a curve on the right levels of stress and anxiety to be at that level that keeps you from going overboard,” Villegas explained. 

Having almost no time to relax is one of the main reasons why most students have stresses. 

“There is no time for me unless I make time for me,” said Haeyo, “You’re going to be a better person if you make that time.”

Self-Care Importance

One of the last things that Haeyo closed off with was the importance of self-care, letting the students tell us what made them de-stress such as Music, Drawing, Hiking, and many other things. These cathartic activities are one of many ways to help with self-care. Haeyo believed that nothing is more important than self-care, citing a line from a book written by one Parker Palmer, for instance. 

“self-care is never a selfish act. It is simply a gift of stewardship which is the only gift I have.” a quote by Palmer.

In conclusion, the Stress and Anxiety workshop helped a lot of students learn the importance of self-care. And not only self-care, but to not let stress go overboard or else it may affect your motivation. Midterms and tests become more apparent with Rio Hondo’s fall semester coming to a close. It is best for students to be ready.