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Sweaty palms, shortness of breath and shaking hands. Every student experiences stress and anxiety at some point, and each person deals with it in a different way.
But when stress overload caused Maria Pascucci to run out of the room and have a panic attack during the last final exam of her college career, she could no longer ignore the price she was paying for perfection. She had reached her breaking point.
After graduating Summa Cum Laude (Latin for highest honors)with degrees in both history and English, and with a minor in writing and a concentration in women's studies, Pascucci had lost her original passion for writing and didn't pick up a pen or a book for nearly a year. When she began searching for a job, she quickly discovered that employers were not all that impressed with the Latin notation scribbled on her diploma. In her eyes, this was yet another blow to her already shaken confidence as she faced the growing sense of "not good enough."
"Perfectionism sort of became my identity. It was how I defined myself and how I measured my own self-worth," said Pascucci, admitting that this mindset undoubtedly contributed to the stress that caused her to buckle under the pressure.
Eight years after her traumatic breakdown, Pascucci has used her experiences to become a successful author, speaker and the College Student's Stress-Less Life Coach.
She looks back on those years of pursuing perfection at the risk of her health, confidence and personal well-being with determination and intention; to help stressed-out students avoid that breaking point and find that their own self-worth is more than a GPA or graduation honor. Her own story is an inspiration to many and proof that even the most straight-laced students can take a tumble. ...continued below
Founder and president of Campus Calm, an award-winning online community aimed at advising students, parents and educators on the dangers of stress and anxiety, Pascucci provides personal stories coupled with online podcasts, newsletters and magazines to help the stressaholics of today. Pascucci has even started an online program for students called Campus Calm University, where students can get monthly downloadable audio MP3 coaching classes to allow them to develop healthy, self-loving mindsets that help them be happy and successful.
Classes cover everything from nutrition, college and career planning and time management, to taking charge of mental health, myths about school stress, entrepreneurship secrets and financial planning.
Students enrolled in the program also receive bonuses, including the Study of You, an MP3 coaching class that helps students pin down the job or career that is most natural and satisfying, a tutorial on college planning, an e-book on time management and much more. Completion of the programs earns students a certificate in the International Campus Calm U life skills training program.
Pascucci's book, "Campus Calm University: The College Student's 10-Step Blueprint to Stop Stressing and Create a Happy, Purposeful Life," is another tool available to students who struggle with the stress and tension that accompany school pressures. It is available for purchase on her Web site, www.campuscalm.com or at other locations, including Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com and Target.
The book won a gold medal in 2009 from Independent Publisher Book Awards.
"I wrote the book I knew I needed," Pascucci said in reference to the years she struggled with stress overload.
"If I needed it in college and didn't have it, I created it."
While Pascucci's entire career is focused on providing assistance and advice to struggling students, there are three key points she encourages all students to remember.
"Say to yourself, I am more than the measure of my GPA," said Pascucci, arguing that the number itself cannot measure self-worth.
Pascucci also believes there is enough success in this world for students and their friends, and students are doing themselves a great disservice by being so competitive rather than forming allies and making real connections.
Finally, Pascucci said, "If you want to be healthy, understand that the most healthy mindset you can have is to love yourself. Self-love is your greatest ticket to success."
Pascucci's personal and professional biographies are available at her Web site, along with contact information and details about what Campus Calm is all about.
"The most important thing is to remain true to who you are," said Pascucci. "They say write what you know, and that is so true. Find what you're passionate about and be proud."
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