It’s no secret that college is tough, there is more homework, more people, clubs, sports, and even Greek life. Managing time, stress and money is so important to be happy. But stress seems to be the most important factor to manage in order to stay happy, especially in college. Even the people that have been here a while still have trouble doing what we’re doing; college is hard. Making sure that you’re not so anxious that it gets in the way of your life is important.
I know I struggled with anxiety and stress for a really long time, and I learned a lot about myself and other people in the process. It always helps to have someone you can talk to, who will love you no matter what, like a parent or grandparent, or your best friend, maybe even your dog. Struggling through stress isn’t necessary, and sometimes things are easier than they seem.
Your health (mental or not) is more important than your grades.
I can’t stress it enough (pun intended), don’t hurt yourself mentally or physically for an A, you are more important. It may seem like the world is going to end if you don’t keep your grades up, but I promise you will kick yourself later for the bad decisions you make now. You are important. Self love is important.
You can’t do it all.
And if you think you can, think again; at least not all at once. If you begin to feel overwhelmed by everything you have to do, try to make a list and prioritize it so you don’t feel so weighted down by everything life throws at you. I’ve done this so many times, balancing clubs and projects and papers, it can get overwhelming, and when it does I just make my list and mark things off as I accomplish them.
Try meditation or yoga, it may sound weird and crazy, but it works. There are even apps for it so you don’t have to teach yourself, you can let an app help you! It’s okay to not be okay. Crying relieves a lot of stress and sometimes it’s all you can do. Sometimes screaming into a pillow and punching it is what you need, and sometimes it really works.
Asking for Help is Okay
Knowing the difference between being stressed out and going into mental overload is a big deal, anxiety, depression and all other kinds of mental illnesses are no joke. Asking for help is a big step even if it’s just asking your mom for life advice. Talking can be a good way to relieve stress, or figure out what is actually causing the stress so you can fix it. No one should have to go through anything too big to handle alone, and luckily for us, we don’t have to.
ECU CARES Hotline:(252) 737-5555
ECU CARES website:http://www.ecu.edu/cs-studentaffairs/ECU_CARES.cfm