Oakland University’s scores were higher than average — and not in a good way. In 2012, OU took part in the National College Health Assessment, a survey given every three years to measure students’ health and wellness habits.

The NCHA data stated that 38 percent of OU students expressed higher than expected stress levels, with the national collegiate average being only 28 percent.

OU also scored higher in the areas of anxiety, with 28 percent, and stress from working at 24.5 percent.

Graham Health Center’s Health and Wellness Coordinator Julie Proctor wasn’t happy with the numbers.

A year and a half ago, Proctor and David Schwartz, director of OU’s counseling department, came together to form the iPause program on campus.

iPause is a workshop-style program which can be requested by residence halls, student organizations or individual classes to help students learn coping skills for managing some of the stress that comes with being a college student.

Proctor said that the main skills iPause workshops will teach are awareness of one’s self and others, regulation of one’s responses to the outside world and self-mastery, leading to an increased “emotional intelligence.”

“We use mindfulness to teach emotional intelligence,” Proctor said. “And once we are aware of who we are, we can target our stressors … If we can develop more emotional intelligence, then we are more in control of ourselves.”

Although iPause workshops are presented on a request-only basis, Proctor said that the iPause link on Graham Health Center’s website is a wonderful resource for students who may be seeking help for their stress or anxiety.

Although a certain amount of stress in life can be a good thing, more often than not, students experience “bad” stress, leaving them lost and confused about their options.

In fact, 52 percent of students that came through OU counseling in 2012 reported anxiety, Proctor said. Given those numbers, one must wonder the percentage of students dealing with the same issues who are not getting help.

“Changing your daily behaviors to run from stress is a sign that you should come and talk to someone,” Proctor said. “You need to come in if stress is limiting your life.”

Nancy Jansen, director of Graham Health Center and licensed nurse practitioner, said that there are a lot of options for students who elect to seek help for stress management.

“Take advantage of the resources on campus,” Jansen said. “Go to iPause, go to counseling or go to Graham Health Center. We’ve got really great resources on campus.”

According to Jansen, students can receive six free counseling visits with a $12 copay for subsequent visits, and medication for anxiety and stress when appropriate.

Although there are great options for students on campus, Proctor advises that students participate in daily monitoring of their lifestyles to avoid ending up at Graham Health Center in the first place.

Proctor stressed the importance of healthy diet and exercise as being the two largest contributors for stress prevention, coupled with adequate sleep and taking three deep breaths upon waking and before going to bed.

With lots of campus resources and daily monitoring of lifestyle choices and habits, students could see a drastic reduction in stress. But for those who need a little extra guidance, Proctor says that iPause will be coming to a common area near you.

During finals, she explained, students will find “iPause for Pizza,” where Proctor and her team will be coming to common study (and stress) areas with pizza to provide a “pause” in the exam-cram. They will also show students basic and helpful tips for stress management during those high-pressure times.

Graham Health Center won’t know how programs like counseling and iPause have affected OU’s student stress levels until the next NCHA in the fall of 2015, but Proctor and Jansen are confident that OU students are armed with the tools and resources they need to be happy and healthy on campus.