It’s coming to the end of our third week into school, and amidst all the new activities, classes, relationships, and even jobs we are dealing with, many of us forget to pen “me time” into our already filled Lilly Pulitzer agendas.
I find it fitting that tonight, as I write you this article about the pressures and stress that comes with college, I am sitting in Carrier library surrounded by my books and assignments – all waiting to be completed in time for class tomorrow. Though it’s no secret that I’m still on the path to finding the perfect balance in my college career, I thought I’d give you the inside scoop on some of my favorite ways of dealing with college and a few of the things that create stress.
Homework and Grades
When I came to college, I was told that the general formula as to how much work you should be putting into your classes goes as follows:
(# of credit hours) x 2 = (# of hours you should be working outside of class).
So if you’re taking a 17-credit course load, you are supposed to be committing to 34 additional hours outside of class – ouch. Although we are told that our number one priority is to make good grades, we need to remember to take care of ourselves as well.
Here are some tips to remember:
- In college, it always helps to form a relationship with your professor so you stand out in large classes. Though some of them seem scary, professors actually love when you stop by for a visit or to introduce yourself.
- You have so many resources available to you to succeed – so take advantage of them! Teacher’s assistants, syllabi, learning centers, office hours, libraries and study groups are all available to help you succeed.
- Studying in the library is great most of the time, but if you feel yourself getting tired, then go outside and enjoy the fresh air. Being outdoors will keep you more alert and awake longer than having to sit inside a school library hours on end.
- Know when to call it quits, and get a full eight hours of sleep. For some of us overachievers – the ambitious bunch of collegiettes™ – its tempting, once in a while, to pull those all-nighters and get a ton of work done, but it’s never worth the crash that comes after. Sleeping during the daytime messes up our internal sleep cycle and puts us at risk for making it to those early 8am’s the next day. And the biggest giveaway of them all? If ECL or Carrier isn’t up and running, you shouldn’t be either!
Clubs, Sports, Greek Life and more…
It’s tempting to jump into every opportunity that comes your way. Especially for freshman who immediately assume that with all this free time, comes the obligation or expectation to need to fill it all up with gym classes, sports games, club meetings, and more.
The trick is to get involved, but not too involved. Find the clubs that you feel most passionate about and jump into them whole-heartedly. Having the ability to say that you were in ten clubs in college will never be as rewarding as being able to say that you were the President or active member of three.
Some tips to remember:
- Try to find a mix of activities that highlight a range of your interests and talents. If you are an art major, don’t join three art clubs then stop looking. Balance out your time with community service, sports, music, and social clubs as well.
- Be sociable and meet people! Chances are, that you can form some amazing relationships with the people in the same clubs as you. This is because they share your interests and passions and can even open your eyes to other things you might enjoy in college as well. Building a support system is essential for us collegiette’sTM to stay stress free and healthy.
- Clubs and activities are supposed to be fun and help relieve stress! If what you are involved in starts feeling like a job, then consider taking a smaller position or rethinking your priorities. You are the ultimate designer of your college experience and can make it as fun or rewarding, as you want it to be.
- Pertaining to Greek life – give it a chance! There are many stereotypes about going Greek, that it involves hazing and unwanted social pressures, but you will never know this unless you try. The idea behind Greek life in college is to build friendships and relationships that you can have with you your entire life. It can be very rewarding if you let it. However, if you ever feel uncomfortable in a situation, you have every right to say no and to leave. People within or out of the Greek community don’t deserve your time and friendship if they insist on forcing social behaviors that you don’t feel comfortable with.
Finding the Time (and Energy) to Stay Healthy
This is probably the most important topic of all three that I have mentioned because you can’t enjoy anything in college if you are lying sick in bed! In Nora Bradbury-Haehl and Bill McGarvey’s book “The Freshman Survival Guide,” they use the acronym HALT. This means that you should always stop and take time for yourself whenever you are feeling hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.
Try these tips whenever you feel one of these emotions coming on:
- Aside from eating three balanced meals a day, keeping healthy foods in your dorm room fridge is essential – especially when you find yourself snacking late at night. My essentials are water and Gatorade to stay hydrated, dark chocolate for endorphins, and protein snacks like cheese sticks, cold cuts, and nuts to stay focused and energized. The worst thing to do is pig-out on chips, popcorn, and processed foods late at night.
- There are many factors that could cause someone to become angry, but whenever I am feeling tense or anxious I love listening to soothing music. It is important to recognize when your workload is too much to handle and to take a well-needed break. It is also better to try and avoid drinking in order to feel better. My favorite drinking motto comes from the movie “How Do You Know?” with Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd and Reese Witherspoon. Witherspoon’s character says in the movie, “I never drink to feel better. I only drink to feel even better.” Not because I have adored her since Legally Blonde, but simply because it’s genius; this will always be my motto for drinking.
- When you are feeling lonely, never hesitate to reach out to someone. Your roommate, hall mates, friends, teachers, and even your family back home all care about you and want to see you happy. Whenever you’re feeling lonely, grab your best girlfriends, start up your favorite chick flick, and put aside any other obligations except cheering up and being happy.
- If you are tired, you are not alone. College students on average only get an average of 6 hours of sleep each night – maximum. Do your best to get a full eight hours of sleep. Want to know a trick? If you can resist the urge of keeping your cell phone on and next to your bed at night, chances are you are sleeping better than the rest of us. Even though we may not wake up from it, the lights, sounds and vibrations our phones make in the middle of the night prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep.
These are just a few of the many adaptations we make as college students and how we can start to try and work around them. Everyone is different, so we will have to find what balance works best for us, but try not to let the stress get the best of you. College is filled with so many great opportunities – between having independence, meeting new people, and pursuing your interests – make the effort to pick your head up and soak it all in.
Sources:
“The Freshman Survival Guide” – Nora Bradbury-Haehl and Bill McGarvey
http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/2006/07/destress-tips
http://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity-lifestyle/articles/de-stress?click=main_sr
http://www.alternet.org/story/74387