University life could be full of new challenges, changes, and experiences. Some of these are exciting, some others could leave us feeling stressed. Right amount of stress can be good and motivate us to achieve our goals, yet, too much of it can impair our well-being.

In this talk, Ms Sherry Im, Clinical Psychologist from New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, leveraged on polls to explore different sources of stress and found that academic stress and worries about future were the most common stressors experienced by participants.

Cognitive behavioral strategies drawn from evidence-based psychological approaches were then shared to facilitate participants in engaging in flexible thinking to avoid common thinking traps and alter their thoughts and perception about self, others, or situations that could reduce stress and tension. Practical tips for building resilience were also shared to facilitate participants to live a balancing and nourishing lifestyle to live a fruitful university life without cracking under stress.