Every college student knows that stressful feeling you get when the air starts to (finally) cool down and the regular course workload seems to (really) ramp up. This time of year, leading up to finals, after Thanksgiving break and before winter break, can be a very stress-inducing time for students.
I brainstormed a few ways for students to de-stress so they don’t have to waste precious studying and homework time. This is my curated list of the top five ways to wind down when the pressure of degrees, homework, upcoming finals and the future feel like too much to handle.
1. Take a walk
I know it feels like old news, but seriously. Fresh air and autumn leaves really do heal the soul. You can put on a podcast, listen to music or just listen to the Earth existing around you. The rustle of the fallen leaves, a squirrel jumping from one tree limb to another, or maybe the soft patter of rain. Reconnecting with the world around you is a great way to relieve stress and to put things into perspective. Sometimes all it takes is a reminder of just how vast the world around you is to realize that this assignment does not define you as an individual, or as a student. When the weather starts to get very cool, throw on some layers! Moving your body is so important, especially in those colder months. I find that getting myself up and moving gets my creative juices flowing and helps me focus when I return to my work. The University of Missouri and the areas nearby have some beautiful scenery for relaxing walks! You could stroll the campus, take a longer walk on the MKT Trail, or through Capen Park, which is a little bit south of campus by Rock Quarry Road!
2. Read a book
When the study pressure starts to feel too intense, sometimes that can cause you to lose track of what you’re doing in the first place. When this happens, challenge yourself to stay off your phone. Instead, find something else that can provide a distraction from your work. Getting on your phone can quickly lead to everyone’s favorite term: doomscrolling. Doomscrolling is not good for the study process. Instead, doing something that feels more productive can keep you in that productive mindset while taking a break before you come back! Take a few minutes away from whatever you’re working on to read a book. Escapism is a real thing and can be a great coping mechanism for stress. Allowing yourself to drift off into an entirely different world, even if it’s just for 15 minutes, can really change your outlook when you return to your work. Don’t enjoy reading? That’s okay, there are other ways to get that productive feeling! Listen to a podcast for a few minutes and try to learn something new!
3. Color
I know what you might be thinking. You haven’t even looked at a coloring book since you were 5 years old. I mean, who has the time? Unless you’re like me and you bought the adult coloring books, invested in some really nice markers (that you played off as a Christmas gift for your younger sister, but you secretly use all the time) and continued to color for years to come. Coloring is a great way to relieve stress. Sometimes doing homework and endless hours of studying can cause you to spiral. It can feel like you are completely out of control, which can be an extremely overwhelming feeling. This is where coloring comes in. You decide what image you want to color, and you choose the shades for every part of your coloring sheet. Coloring in the lines and creating shading or highlights (if you’re into that kind of thing) are great ways to get that feeling of being in control again. Once you have finished a sheet, or just decided that you have had a long enough break, you can return to your schoolwork feeling refreshed and level-headed after letting your creativity run wild and getting to exercise tangible control over your life.
4. Spend time with your favorite people
Time spent with the people we love is one of the truest forms of medicine for a stressed and tired soul. Be around people who feel like a breath of fresh air and who make you feel like you can be your complete self around them. Sometimes they might have study tips, or maybe they’ve taken the class that you’re struggling with and can help you with it. Take the time to be human and to share your worries with someone else. An outside perspective can really change the way you look at things. Friends and family are a fantastic way to rejuvenate yourself after long hours spent studying and working on schoolwork. Maybe after you finish your work for the day, go see a movie with a friend. Or after you have been working for a few hours, take a break and grab lunch with a group of friends. Being around people who understand what you’re feeling and going through can make you feel seen and heard. Then, when you revisit your studying, you will feel more confident in your ability to do well.
5. Treat yourself!
This one might be my favorite one yet. Treat yourself! Really, you deserve it. Get yourself a celebratory coffee after finishing your assignment, go out to dinner with friends after taking a really challenging exam, get ice cream after all of those hours you have devoted to studying. I know that I personally thrive off of a good reward and keeping a reward system for myself keeps me motivated and helps me get through tough assignments and tests. Or maybe treating yourself looks like putting the notebooks away, shutting the computer and taking a quick nap, or maybe just lying in bed. Fall fatigue is real as your body adjusts to the changing weather and daylight. Making time for yourself to do something that you enjoy or to get something that you enjoy for yourself is a great way to boost your own morale and motivate you to keep working. The payoff will be so worth it.
The life of a college student in the fall is not always the aesthetics of Friendsgiving, getting a pumpkin latte and staying in on cold, rainy nights. When your classes throw difficult tests and work your way, I hope you will take these suggestions into consideration and remember to put yourself first. Studying for finals and endless amounts of homework can be daunting, but keeping your mental stability sound and giving yourself space to relax and detox amidst the schoolwork is so important in those moments. Happy studying!