Dr Mfon Eyo, Chukwuma Onunkwo & Dr Udeme Akaninyene Umo
Abstract
Despite the debilitating consequences of stress and the fact of its being widespread, it does not seem to have got the deserved attention. This article looks at the concept of stress, especially as it affects the modern university students. It describes stress as a ubiquitous concept that affects everyone irrespective of educational qualification, belief system, colour or any other consideration. Apart from relying on literature to establish a link between stress and mental health, the paper also gives a brief analysis of statistics which establish the highly prevalent status of stress in Nigeria in particular, and the world in general. These articulations consolidate the need for stress to be in the front-burner of researchers and other stakeholders. The article also gives an overview of challenges faced by modern university students, which can become stressors. In addition to giving the broad classification for stress, the article expatiates on the triggers of stress, and also presents the red flags for stress. Furthermore, this article x-rays the consequences of stress to modern university students, and concluded with some “Do It Yourself” strategies for managing stress, including regular exercise, practicing good sleep hygiene, adopting simple relaxation techniques, paying attention to time management, amongst others.