UNAIR NEWS – Stress has become a common challenge for university students, who often struggle to manage the demands of their academic routines. Unfortunately, many lack a comprehensive understanding of stress, leading to ineffective coping strategies. To address this issue, Universitas Airlangga’s (UNAIR) Directorate of Career Development, Entrepreneurship Incubation, and Alumni (DPKKA) hosted a webinar titled Mental Health and Career Growth: How to Find Balance. The event aimed to provide students with essential insights into managing stress and maintaining mental health.
The Airlangga Career & Internship Club (ACIC) organized the webinar, held online via Zoom on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. The event featured a collaboration with KLOB and welcomed a single guest speaker, Aditya Vonan Mainzerino, the Branch Manager for Eastern Indonesia at Dayalima Abisatya.
Before the main session, Lina Nugraha Rani, SE, MSEI, Head of Career Development at DPKKA UNAIR and a lecturer in Islamic Economics, delivered the opening remarks. She stressed the importance of maintaining mental well-being, not only during one’s academic years but also as a foundation for professional success.
“Mental health is a critical issue because a healthy mind is essential for maintaining productivity. High levels of stress, overworking, or excessive anxiety can affect our ability to focus and perform effectively,” Rani remarked.
Understanding stress
Aditya Vonan Mainzerino began his presentation by explaining that stress is a physical, mental, or emotional response triggered by situations that exceed an individual’s ability to cope. He noted that stress can arise from various factors, including physical health, social interactions, psychological pressures, and life changes.
Mainzerino emphasized time management as a practical way to combat stress. “Stress often emerges when the workload feels overwhelming. One approach is to break tasks into smaller, more manageable steps,” he suggested.
As an alumnus of Universitas Airlangga’s Master of Psychology program, Mainzerino also recommended relaxation techniques like breathing exercises and short meditation sessions to ease stress. Additionally, engaging in simple physical activities, such as walking or stretching, can help alleviate mild stress as an initial step toward better mental health.
Avoid self-diagnosis
Mainzerino further cautioned against self-diagnosing mental health conditions, stressing the importance of consulting professionals for accurate evaluations.
He attributed the prevalence of self-diagnosis to the spread of unreliable mental health information online. “Inaccurate self-diagnoses can lead to improper treatment and responses, which may worsen the condition rather than improve it,” Mainzerino warned, concluding his session.
Author: Selly Imeldha
Editor: Edwin Fatahuddin
