Let’s Be Stress-Free
Zaire Davis
It is extremely common for students in college to deal with depression, anxiety, and stress on a regular basis. Some of us are athletes, some of us are Greeks, some of us have jobs, some of us participate in clubs and organizations, but all of us deal with the same hardships that the path to a degree brings. FASFA deadlines, meal plans, absurd parking prices, relationship drama, tiring lectures, nagging professors, and low bank account balances are just a handful of the trials and tribulations that collegiate students face every single day. College can truly make or break a person and the best thing to do when facing adversity is to find ways to relieve stress so that we can ensure ourselves a healthy and positive mindset.
One of the best things that I have learned when I am stressed is to just take a deep breath and exhale. When I am on the merge of a breakdown and can feel tears coming at the back of my eyes, I count to three and tell myself that it is okay and that I am going to push through. De-plugging electronics is extremely essential to getting your focus back on track. One of the features on the iPhone is do not disturb. It is a little moon icon that you can switch on and off and will block any calls, texts, tweets, or any notifications for as long as you want. I do this when I know I have too much on my plate and need to just be left alone for a little while. In this unbothered time, I usually organize and color-code my planner and set up my long term and short term goals for the week. This helps tremendously. Write down every little thing that you need to do for the week, whether it be studying for a test, reading a couple pages for your literature class, scheduling more work hours, or going to the store to buy more cereal. Write it down. Bullet point it. Highlight it in your favorite color. Give yourself an hour to take all the things that are scrambling around clattered in your mind and organize it on paper. If you give yourself an hour to truly focus on yourself with no interruptions or distractions, you will feel all the stress and anxiety go away and when you are done, you will know that you and your stressful situation will be okay too.