We have officially reached the halfway point through the semester which, if you’re like me, carries some mixed feelings. As we all know, mental health is not something to take lightly, and it can be hard to manage schoolwork while also trying to avoid burnout. This last week, I’ve felt myself drift more towards being stressed out, and I’ve been waiting for the weekend to unwind. Here are some of my top favorite ideas to manage stress throughout the semester; of course these are just my go-to suggestions, so feel free to come up with your own favorite ways to relax!
Lighting a Candle and Reading a Book
Since I love to read, one of my favorite ways to cool off from staring at a screen all day is to unwind and curl up with a book and light a lavender candle. Right now I’m currently reading a book called Frankly in Love, and I love lighting my candle to help relax me while I read. I also love to read right before bed, as it helps me de-stress from classes or whatever I did throughout the day, and I get to catch up with my favorite characters before my head hits the pillow.
Talking with Friends
This one has been a pillar to my survival throughout quarantine; friends are SO important. Even though everyone has busy schedules and their classes to manage, calling or texting a friend can be so helpful and can help alleviate tensions in between classes. Additionally, you can call a friend while you work on homework, which is what my friends and I do during the week, and it helps motivate me because I know I can do homework with my best friends on the line.
Taking a Walk
I started walking more to get out during quarantine, and honestly, sometimes the best thing to do is to get a fresh breath of air outside. Exercise has also been proven to help boost your mood, so if you’re feeling down, a walk around your neighborhood is a good place to start. Like the previous point, walking with a friend is also great – my sister and I usually go walking twice a week and love to chat about whatever schoolwork we have to work on.
Going on a Drive
This is similar to the walking point, and if you’re like me, drives can be very cathartic to vent about classes or explore new places from the safety of your car during the pandemic. You can also host your own karaoke sessions (yes, even if you believe you can’t sing) and I love to play my driving playlist where I can belt my heart out. Just be sure to stay safe while driving, and never text and drive.
Color a Coloring Book Page
Borrowing an idea from my childhood days, I used to love to sit next to the window on a rainy day with a coloring book in hand. Like exercise, coloring books can help you relax from the stresses of schoolwork, and better yet, you can play some music or watch a tv show while you’re coloring. Or, like the reading idea previously mentioned, you can also burn a candle while you’re coloring if you want to relax even more.
Of course, these are just a few of the things I enjoy when I’m stressed out, but you can find new ideas that suit you best. I hope you can find peace and relaxation throughout the quarantine, and remember that we are almost done with the semester!