It’s that time of the year again when classes are getting harder, your extracurriculars have started up again, and your first exams are right around the corner. That old feeling you forgot about comes creeping back around—stress.
Don’t panic! Stress is totally normal and can even be healthy (*GASP*) if you channel it in the right ways. Before you let stress freak you out and break you down, try some of these tips to manage your stress in a healthy way.
1. Manage your time.
I know you’re probably tired of hearing this, but sometimes when you have a lot on your plate everything seems so crazy and overwhelming you can’t even think straight. If you have a super busy day, lay out a little schedule for yourself so you don’t worry about forgetting anything! It also helps to make a checklist of all the work you have to do; NOTHING will be more satisfying than crossing your items off one by one.
2. SLEEP.
I cannot stress this enough. You might think your time would be better spent cramming in all the work you can do and skimping on your precious beauty rest, but studies actually show that you’re MORE productive if you get a good night’s rest. Sleeping a good 7-9 hours a night (the recommended amount of sleep for college students) will make you feel good, think faster, and minimize the potential mental breakdowns looming.
3. Start a journal.
Remember all those times you told yourself you would start writing in a journal but despite your best intentions you got bored/busy/forgot about it? Writing down all your stress can actually help you calm down a lot and put things in perspective. Somehow, things that seemed like a huge deal don’t seem so bad once you put them on paper and realize how small of an impact they’ll really have on your life in the long run.
4. Talk to the people you love!
It’s important to be able to vent and talk about your stress when you’re going through a difficult time. Give a call to your mom or spend a little time laughing with friends to cheer yourself up! It’s good to talk about your stress and problems, but also be careful not to dwell on the negative; it’s important to remember all the good in your life!
5. Remember—stress is not the end of the world!
Stress is totally normal for everyone, especially in college. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, recognize that you’re stressed out and figure out what you’re going to do about it. A little bit of stress can be good for you because it motivates you to work hard and try your best, but don’t let it consume your life! Ten years from now, you’re going to want to remember all the good times you had in college and not the times you were stressed out studying.
You’ve got this, collegiettes!
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