This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Kean chapter.

Throughout life there are many challenges that you may face and dealing with them on a constant basis can become very frustrating! Two of the most common problems that people encounter are stress and people trying to bring you down.

Here are nine techniques that I follow that can you help you cope with stress and competition from others.

Technique #1- Work on a long project

When you are so overwhelemed and have an urge to release your frustrations, try to work on a long project. If you enjoy painting, then paint a picture of a landscape, an object in your room, or something that you find really interesting. If you like organizing items that you own, then try to venture off into re-inventing your room. You can buy new bed covers, posters, beaded curtains, frames, flowers, and etc. to give your room a whole new vibe. Which ever project you choose make sure its something that will keep your mind and hands busy all day to the point where you can just forget about all the crap that you are going through for more then a couple of hours.

Technique #2- Practice on developing your acting skills

Second technique that is great for removing stress is brushing up on your acting skills. For example, I watch two CW shows “The Originals” and “The Vampire Diaries”, and when I am stressed out I act out the lines from my favorite characters in the show. I go on youtube search through “The Originals” clips find my favorite, whether its involving a scene with Rebekah and Klaus, or Rebekah with Marcel, and I pretend that I am reciting the lines with one of the male actors. I love acting because I can remove myself from my present situation and feel like im in a different location and time. It is one of my favorite stress relievers.

Technique #3- Practice boxing or karate

A third technique on releasing your stress and anger is to practice boxing or karate in your room. If people are causing a lot of drama in your life and you want to snap at them, then use them as your target when you are boxing, or doing karate. Listen to some music and release your frustrations by punching or kicking in the air. This may sound funny, but it is a fantastic positive way (in the sense that you are not actually hurting someone) to calm yourself down and forget about all of your bad baggage in your life.

Technique #4- Sing Karaoke

A fourth technique for removing stress is to sing some karaoke. If you like to sing and are not shy to do so in public, then sing in a karaoke bar like Marcel did in “The Originals”. If you like to sing and are a shy person, then go on youtube look up one of your favorite songs and the lyrics to it, then rock out! Singing is a lot of fun and it will make you feel 1,000 times calmer after a long day!

Technique #5- Hang out with true friends

A fifth technique for removing stress and drama, is to hang out with your true friends. Reason why I say true friends is because some people will act all nice around you, then the next minute talk crap about you behind your back. You don’t need that extra drama in your life. Hang out with your true friends that supported you from the very beginning and do an activity together. Invite them to your house order some food and talk about how everything is going in your life. Play some fun board games together, take a road trip, and etc. Having time with your friends is very important because they will remind you of how great you are!

Technique # 6- Plan a vacation

A sixth technique for removing stress is to plan a vacation with your friends, or boyfriend or girlfriend. Going on vacation is a wonderful experience because you get to relax on an island, or in a town, stay at a nice hotel, and just spend time enjoying new foods, shopping, plus taking tours of the area you are in. If you want to go to tropical vacation with your friends inspired by one of your favorite girl movies like “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2” then take a trip to Greece! Who knows maybe you can ride one of those fun scooters throughout the town like the girls Lena, Bridget, Tibby, and Carmen did in Santorini. If you want to try and go to a tropical location while staying on a budget, then there are many other islands you can go to like Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, and etc.

If you are a fan of “The Originals”, then check out Conyers, in Georgia. Conyers is the exact location where they shoot pretty much all of the episodes of “The Originals”. Who knows maybe you can catch one of your favorite actresses, or actors walking through the town, like Joseph Morgan in Klaus mode, or Charles Michael Davis in Marcel mode! Here is a secret the producers behind the show actually let fans meet the cast members, and you can watch them create the episode. I learned this information from two true fans of “The Originals” that I know on a personal level.

[pagebreak]

Technique # 7 Paint your nails

The seventh technique to release stress is to pamper yourself and paint your nails. Painting your nails is a great activity because it does not have to cost money and you can use polishes that you already have! Painting your nails is also very creative in the sense that you can do little designs on your nails like flowers, polka dots, stripes, french manicure, and you can also paint your nails in some plain colors! Everyone needs pampering and this the least expensive way to do so!

Technique #8- Cook a dish

The eighth technique that you can follow to release stress is to cook a meal for yourself. Cooking is another one of my favorite things to do and you can add whatever you want to it. One of the most healthy dishes that I tried to make while following a cookbook, was a green salad with some fruit. For the salad I combined a bag of salad already prepped at the grocery store, small tomatoes, creamy ceasar dressing, grilled some chicken, cut some orange slices and that was it! The meal was perfect and the best part is that the ingredients are under your control so you don’t have to worry about any high salt intakes!

Technique #9- Keep a positive attitude

The last technique to remember when dealing with a bunch of drama in your life, is to have a positive attitude! In order to fully forget the drama in your life, have an “I don’t care attitude”! If people want to add uncessary stress on everything then forget them. Work on yourself, focus on your great friendships, relationships with your partner, and on moving on up in the world! In order to keep the “I don’t care attitude” try and listen to a motivational song. One of the cutest movtivational songs that I like to listen to when trying to keep a positive fun attitude is “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know” by Selena Gomez.