Stressing over the Stress of Stressfulness and being Stressed and.....

Ah the wonders of stress. There are two types of stress: good stress and bad stress. It’s always good to have a little stress. It keeps you going and motivates you to get everything done by the due date. However, too much stress can be a bad thing. It can lead to physical and mental health problems. You might lose sleep, gain/lose weight, acne can break out, hair can turn gray and/or fall out, etc.

 Being a first year college student is definitely a stressful time. Trying to adjust to a completely different situation where you have to balance class, homework, projects, papers, exams, work, extracurricular activities, social time, etc. It can certainly be overwhelming. Some students can’t handle the pressure and end up having a mental break down and/or dropping out.

 One way I avoid having a complete mental breakdown is that I try to stay organized. I keep all of my papers, books, binders, backpack, etc. in a designated spot so I don’t tear apart my room looking for everything. I try to keep my room/car as clean and organized as possible. With less clutter I won’t feel trapped or overwhelmed and I can find everything I need quickly.

 I try my best not to procrastinate. I get my assignments completed as soon as I possibly can. This way I won’t forget about any work until the last minute and I don’t have that assignment lingering over me. I have a check list in my planner where I write everything I need to do. And when I complete an assignment or task I check it off or cross it out. This gives me a visual reference of what I completed and what I need to work on.

 Another little trick I like to do is trying to make some “me time” every day.  I try to have some quiet time to myself where I either watch TV, read, or take a nap. Having a good book to read outside of school really helps me get lost and is something I enjoy doing. Nothing is better than curling up with a hot cup of tea and a book to help unwind.

I monitor what I eat and make sure that I don’t miss any meals. Trying to tackle my daily tasks is difficult when my stomach is gnawing on itself. By eating right and often, I can keep my body going throughout the day without having anxiety creep up on me and ruin my flow. This also applies with getting enough sleep. I try to get 6-8 hours every night. If I can’t accomplish that goal, I’ll take a 20-30 minute nap after class.

 Every morning I wake up I roll out my yoga mat and do a little yoga/stretching. This helps me wake up, get my blood flowing and it allows me to start off my day with less stress and a bit of exercise. I love the feeling of getting a good stretch. By squeezing in some time to I help improve my health and overall mood and I can start my day off in a positive way.

 These are a few things I do to help deal with stress. Maybe someone reading this will try one of these techniques and find that it helps them with their stress levels too.