You take a look around at your friends, your roommates, your fellow students and even though you’re spreading yourself thin everyday, you still feel like you’re not doing enough. Well, you’re not alone. I can assure you that your friends, roommates and other students are all feeling that same stress. The pressure placed on being constantly busy is intense in college and our mental health often gets forgotten in the blur that is life as a student. As women (and men) of the collegiate league, we’re expected to to attend and ace our classes, be involved in at least two student organizations, hold a leadership role, have an internship and/or job, all while maintaining a picturesque social life. At the end of the day, our resumes look great, we’re a shoo-in to get that internship, but our minds and bodies take the toll. Whether it’s skipping a meal, not getting nearly enough sleep, getting sick every other week, breaking out or having full-blown mental breakdowns, the side effects of stress are all the worst. But, there’s good news! I have some tips and tricks to help you avoid that stress this semester…
1. Write it all down
Many people often underestimate just how much planning can really reduce your stress. Often times when your schedule is crazy, everything that you have to do gets crammed up in your brain which means you’ll either forget something you had to do, or you’ll hyper-focus on trying to keep your schedule straight. Each week, try to make a list of everything that you have to do from homework assignments to other general tasks (meetings with advisors, doing laundry, ect.). Although the list, at first, may be daunting, as you check off the items, you’ll feel the stress melt right off of you. Additionally, use the calendar app on your phone! Put in your entire semester schedule of classes and extracurriculars in and add more in as time goes along. This will help you manage your time better and allow you to be more present in moments where it counts.
2. Don’t overload your schedule!
This is a huge mistake that almost every single student makes. Out of the fear that we don’t have enough on our resume, or that we don’t have enough friends, or (insert slue of other reasons), students will pack their schedules so tightly that they barely have time to breathe. I’m not saying you should do nothing, I’m simply saying you need to find a balance of having time to be involved on campus and having time for yourself. Join a club or two, get a job that you enjoy and then keep the rest of your time open for exploring the city, getting together with friends, going shopping, cleaning your room or even taking a nap!
9 times out of 10, when you ask a college student how many meals they eat a day, the answer will be less than 3. The main reason for this is that we get so consumed by our busy schedules that we either don’t have the time to eat or we forget. The best solution for this is to find time early in the weekend to write down what you’re going to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the week. Later, go to the grocery store and pick up everything you need. If you know you don’t have time between classes to grab dinner at home, cook it the night before or during another gap in your schedule and bring it with you. Maintaining your diet is super important and will keep you from stressing out.
4. Keep a journal
Overthinking, be gone! I always recommend keeping a journal because it’s a great way to get all of your thoughts out of your head. Sometimes, writing out your thoughts into coherent sentences allows you to see a situation from a different view. It’s also a good way to take a break from consistent hours of homework or studying. Getting your mind off of the root of your stress or even delving deeper into the reasons why you’re feeling so stressed will allow you to come back to your tasks feeling much better and focused.
5. Do what you enjoy
Just because you’re an accounting major doesn’t mean that you have to fill your time with only accounting and business related things. Unless of course, you love accounting! (In that case, bless your heart.) On a more serious note, do what you love. If you love film, act or work behind the scenes in a student production, if you love soccer, join a club soccer team. If you’re going to load up your schedule, at least load it up with things that you’re going to find yourself excited about going to. Being happy and feeling good about the organizations you’ve chosen to join will make you feel less stressed about having a full schedule. PS: In life, always choose to do what you love.
6. Remember what helped
As you go through your semester at school coping with anxiety, make note of the things you did to reduce your stress that really worked. Focus on the little things, like taking walks, coloring, doing breathing exercises or reading and make a list of them. Smaller things that reduce your anxiety and extremely helpful because you can do them anywhere: at home, in the library, on a plane, you name it.
And now you’re on your way to a stress free semester. Keep in mind, these tips won’t make you loosy goosy and care-free, but they will allow you to feel like a little weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Leaving anxiety behind isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible, so keep working at it and I promise it will pay off!