Whether it’s your first year or your last, there are a lot of nerves that come along with going back to college. Although you might be physically ready to go to class and get started, you may not be mentally ready. There’s already a lot of mental stress that starts dawning on students just from the first week back into school.
After a peaceful summer, it’s hard to go back to classes and have your professors suddenly expect so much from you all at once. Here are some tips to help you find the motivation to be a better student and stress free!
1. One last day for junk food, because tomorrow I’m going to…
THE GYM! Wow, who could’ve thought that running on the treadmill and lifting weights can be a stress reliever? Turns out that regularly going to the gym, even if it’s just 30 minutes, can help a lot in the long run. Not only does it help with your physical being, but your mental state becomes more stable.
Working out requires concentration and discipline, so doing this a few times throughout your week can help strengthen your mind and benefit you for when classes get busier, by keeping up with the motivation of returning to the gym.
2. “Inhale, and now exhale”
An exercise that’s been in practice for centuries now is yoga. Whatever assumptions you might have about yoga prior to reading this, I’m here to tell you it’s much more different than you think. The mood set from the music, to the stretch of your muscles, to how your control your breathing — everything about the ambiance is welcoming and relaxing.
One of the major benefits of yoga is that it guides you on how to take care of yourself better. For people whose muscles or bones are always aching, whether it’s from the sport you play, or you’ve been cooped up in your dorm for too long, yoga helps to relax your muscles and the tension that’s been built up in them. The ambiance created from the muscle relaxation relates to the benefits of mediation, which is why both are usually practiced together.
3. Get Creative!
Aside from exercising, maybe it’s time to challenge yourself from a different perspective. Taking up a new hobby for the new semester will not only keep you interested to learn more but will also allow you to explore more in that field, if you end up liking it.
Getting creative can include taking up a random art lesson, drawing sketches (also known as the doodles you used to make in the margins of your notebooks in grade school) writing down your feelings in a journal, or even listening to different types of music can feel like a relief by taking your mind off any other stress.
4. Take 5!
Nothing is better than a MUCH needed break! Since nothing is better than some time off, it makes sense to work diligently and then take a good 5 to 15-minute break from your work, whether it’s studying or a project, since it’s pretty important to do. Working our brain out too much isn’t always the best thing.
Yes, I’ll admit that even I want to learn things quickly as possible and get studying over with, but will studying as fast as I do actually help me learn anything? Putting your head down, closing your eyes for a little bit, or getting up from your seat to walk and drink water, is important mentally and physically because it can help promote creativity and productivity. Being able to get more ideas on how to write up your day-before-it’s-due research paper requires the right amount of creativity and productivity and can also help reduce stress and refocus.
5. Vzzzt! “Hey… you there?”
Communication is a pretty big part in how we run our lives. Although we are all involved on campus one way or another, after a while it feels better to just talk to some friends or family about how your day’s been. The simple act of talking on the phone with someone is already stress relieving.
Some may argue that texting is better, but it’s not as quick and sweet as a phone call. It’s more about stopping what you’re doing, instead of trying to multitask and be active in a conversation. Yes, sometimes it may not be a quick phone call, but it still does give a good opportunity to be able to talk about whatever is on your mind. A few minutes may turn into 30 minutes, but it’s okay — sit back, relax, and talk for as long as your stress leaves your shoulders.
6. Plan, plan, oh! And PLAN!
Being a neat freak myself, means being organized is one of my top priorities. During my first year at college, I realized how much of this ability that was once labeled as ‘unnecessary,’ has now become a skill that I need to utilize every day.
Those who are unorganized don’t usually care about changing how they are and this is simply because humans don’t like change. We can quickly adapt to it, but that doesn’t mean we love changing everything we’re doing each week. It’s more about being diligent and keeping your priorities in mind. Here are some tips to get started on some organization for the school year:
To-Do List
Create a short to-do list for the day by keeping priorities in mind. This helps people not to get overwhelmed as easily, so this is a good tip to start with.
Organize your files
Whether you use Google Drive or your personal laptop documents, ORGANIZE THEM! Don’t just leave files as they are, create folders for different classes and put the designated files inside them.
Keep a planner
It’s more helpful than you think and can definitely help in the “to-do list” process. Keeping a planner can not only help organize day to day actions but also monthly reminders for papers that are due at a certain date, club dates you need to keep in mind of, or even the specific time reminder for when your final exams are.
7. Stay Motivated, Be Disciplined
Motivation and discipline both have similar meanings but have different intentions. Motivation is one’s intention of completing a goal, while having discipline is allowing you to execute your goals. If you have set goals for yourself, then you have the motivation to keep at it and reach your goal. However, you need discipline in order to complete them in a more organized and efficient way. These two factors can help alleviate stress since they can keep your focus all in one space.
These two factors not only refocus your mind in a better state, but also helps to reconnect your mind with your body and flow as one. Don’t forget your health is the most important out of everything because without it, you wouldn’t be able to stay on schedule and complete your assignments.
Now go out there, pack up your stuff, get your backpack ready, get your beauty sleep, and prepare yourself for a whole new you!