Whether it’s school, relationships, or family, we all have stressors in our lives. With midterms among us, you may begin to feel even more overwhelmed than normal. Below are a few steps to help you get through the week.
1. Remember to eat.
Emotional stuff requires time and energy to heal, but you can make your body feel better in the present. Think about Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs. Physiological needs like food, water, and sleep are the basics; without those, the rest are irrelevant.
2. Talk to someone.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to your friends, family, and even professors on campus. Talking through your emotions helps you better understand the cause of your stress and how to deal with it. The counseling center is another great resource for students, with a 24-hour hotline and on-call counseling at the center from 9-5pm, if needed.
3. Exercise.
Whether it’s going for a run, playing a pick-up game with your friends, or participating in a club or intramural sport, exercise helps aid any depressed emotion. In fact, exercise is scientifically proven to make you happier by increasing your endorphins, the body’s feel-good neurotransmitters that interact with the receptors in your brain.
4. Prioritize.
Create a list of everything you have to do, and start with the most important. Break it down and add some simple tasks to the list, as crossing things off will make you feel more productive. Cut out negativity. With so much going on, you don’t need an added stressor. If the cons outweigh the pros, drop it.
5. Have something to look forward to.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it is called spring break! Throughout the week, take a quick dinner or coffee break to give your mind a rest. Staring at the same piece of paper or studying for too long can be less productive if you don’t give yourself time to breathe.
6. Take it one day at a time.
The best thing to do is focus on the present. Thinking about future problems just adds more on your plate. Everyone has things to deal with, and while it’s easier said than done, focus on what you have to do one day at a time. Everything else can wait, and it will still be there next week.