Maryhelen MacInnes, an assistant professor in the department of sociology, said the chronic stress caused by conflicting roles, which Sniegowski faces daily, can be lessened several different ways.

The most logical way to alleviate stress caused by conflicting social roles is to eliminate one role; however, this solution is rarely an option, MacInnes said.

“The best thing you can have is a good support network,” she said. “Cultivate friendships or seek professional help if you need it. People need to work and they need to be in school and have a family life. They can’t really let one of those go.”

As Sniegowski’s decision to fulfill her responsibilities of mother and student was not up for discussion, she turned to her father to help her succeed in each conflicting role.

“I’m one of the lucky ones,” she said. “I’m fortunate enough to have my dad who’s helping support me and watches my son for me. I’m still able to go to school, because my dad helps me.”

Parent, student and executive board member of Student Parents on a Mission, or SPOM, Leann Harris said she found the best way to cope with stress brought on by conflicting roles is to prioritize.

“I drove myself harder than anyone else. Once I realized I don’t have to be a superwoman, I was OK,” she said. “Certain days I wear my work hat, certain days I wear my SPOM hat and I wear my mom hat all the time. The biggest thing I had to learn was how to be patient with myself.”

Harris said she chose to stop putting so much pressure on herself and concentrating on doing her best, rather than being the best, at each of her roles.

“If I’m in school I’m still a mom and if the kids are sick I have to find other arrangements for school,” she said. “For me, mom is my identity.”

When individuals are able to find the time to partake in stress management techniques, stress is no longer viewed as destructive, Kermiet said.

“Some stress is good,” he said. “It’s a matter of learning how to use, based on your experience and your personal opinion, that stress to your advantage and knowing how to avoid crashing … students can and often do perform better with some stress, like an athlete performs better hyped up for the game.”

Unlike Sniegowski and Harris, Allison Stephen was in the position to switch around the responsibilities that caused her stress until she found a balance between the two roles in her life: Student and employee.

Stephen, a psychology sophomore, said her job as a receptionist at Mason and Abbot halls allows her to make money while maintaining good grades, which was difficult to do at her previous job as a student supervisor in the cafeteria.

“I worked a lot more hours, and I kind of fell behind last year when I worked in the cafeteria,” she said. “I had less time to do my homework and concentrate on the school part of my life, so that’s why I switched jobs. School comes first.”

Stephen said her student supervisor at Mason and Abbot halls encourages her to get her homework done at the desk.

“Obviously helping people comes first, but after I finish I’m allowed to do my own work,” Stephen said. “I probably wouldn’t be as motivated to sit down and do all my reading for the week at one time otherwise.”

Like Stephen did, it’s important to find a way to cope with the stress of holding a job while attending school full-time because of the significant physical and emotional damage stress has the ability to cause, MacInnes said.

“Generally speaking, chronic stressors, especially those that have to do with roles, are the most damaging ones for people’s physical and psychological being,” she said. “People with higher rates of stress can have increased blood pressure, anxiety, they’re more likely to get a cold.

“It’s really helpful to have people you’re comfortable talking to. Even if you don’t come up with a solution, just talking about it can make it easier.”

Jonathon Kermiet, a health educator at Olin Health Center, said he agrees that managing stress is crucial in the name of good health. However, because students always seem to be pressed for time, this truth is often disregarded.

Sometimes students bite off more than they can chew in the form of working too many hours or a schedule with too many credits, Kermiet said.

“Students know what they need to do to manage stress, they just don’t do if often enough,” he said. “They need to do those things to try and keep the damage and symptoms at bay. It might be exercise, listening to music, getting a massage, going for a walk, driving, some students say shopping, which I don’t understand.”