There’s so much talk about stress management leading up to midterms, but really, it’s something we need to be practicing all the time. Yes, I know stress management takes a little time and effort, and for some of us, that can be even more stressful. I promise to turn out a few easy ways to deal with the stress of life. With midterms winding down and spring break right around the corner, relaxing has never looked so good.
Get Some Rest
Over spring break, make sure to get your beauty sleep. It’s easy to stay up late and neglect the eight hours you need to feel fresh and rejuvenated in the morning, but sleep deprivation can cause some pretty extreme side effects. Again, I told you I wouldn’t try and stress you out more than you already are, but if you’d like to know a bit more about that, here is a great article. Something I recommend that also gets a chore out of the way is washing your bedding and investing in some incense or a good candle. That feeling of taking a long shower, doing your skin-care routine and getting to fall asleep the most comfortable you could possibly be really is heaven on Earth if you ask me. Bonus points if you have a pet to snuggle up with as well.
Get Calm
Take five or 10 minutes out of your day to decompress. Yoga and meditation have been proven to benefit the mind and the body. Some of you may already practice these for religious purposes, but regardless of religious affiliation, these are great tools for dealing with stress. If learning an entirely new practice doesn’t fit into your schedule at the moment, just taking the time to sit in silence may give you a chance to calm your mind.
Get Something New
Retail therapy! Window shopping — or if you have the means — buying some new items, will always be sure to distract and excite. Spring is coming up, so go to the mall and look for bathing suits or sundresses. If it’s an outdoor mall, you can just call it getting some fresh air to justify a day filled with shopping.
Get Out There!
Considering our campus is only 10 minutes from the beach, get outside! Vitamin D is sure to boost your mood and give you time to decompress. Venice Beach in particular has a great bike path for cycling, rollerblading, running, or any other aerobic activity you may enjoy. Personally, running with a podcast on is always a sure-fire way to clear my head and make me forget my problems for about 45 minutes. Endorphins are also notorious for improving mood and relieving pain, another good side-effect of exercise.
Get Organized
Finally, if you want to get ahead, consider buying or making a planner. In my experience, buying planners is something I do at the start of every school year and never end up touching past syllabus week. This is why I personally recommend making one of your own, or customizing one you buy. This way, you will be a little more inclined to look at it on a daily basis. Along with that, I think it’s even more efficient to make/get one started after you already understand the typical workload expected of you from your professors. Maybe I’m just saying this to justify being a scattered mess at the beginning of a semester, but I do think that there is a method to my madness.
Consider taking one of these and trying it out on your week off, I promise that it’ll be worth your while. It may even make this last stretch of the school year a little more bearable. Have a great spring break!