We ALL have experienced stress at some time or another. In fact, I’m feelin’ it right now. Being college students, we experience the kind of stress that makes us want to stay in bed all day and watch Netflix, or just straight up punch a wall.
More specifically, we battle the type of stress caused when professors give us assignments that aren’t even on the syllabus OR when we remember we have homework due the night before we have to hand it in.. Which then results in sitting in a 2×2 cubicle on the fifth floor of the library for 6.5 hours.
Stress affects people of all ages, even children. It affects children in a way that it may cause headaches and even makes it difficult to power through tasks. Any of that sound familiar? Seem relatable? I think so.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a child or a college student, you can still use some effective tools and strategies to release stress. The most effective techniques are usually active like exercising, meditating, and therapy but.. let’s get real. Who wants to get out of bed to go power through five miles when they are stressed to the max and just want to lie there and continue to watch One Tree Hill for the eighth time?
Lucky for you, I am an education major and I have single handedly implemented stress relief tools that children in elementary schools and daycares have been using to relieve stress. Being a college student, I too found these tools to be extremely helpful! So listen up and take some advice!
The first stress relief tool is a DIY stress ball. This is no ordinary stress ball, this ball is made from one ingredient.. shaving cream. Yes, shaving cream. Add that stuff into a balloon and BAM you have the world’s most stress-relieving instrument. You can squeeze it, punch it, and even throw it!! All of which are done in a gentle manner.. of course.
The second stress relief tool is a scream box. It is exactly how it sounds.. a box in which you scream in. It’s created using a few materials: cardboard tube, cereal box, and paper. When you’re frustrated, angry or stressed and other calm down techniques aren’t working, just pull out your scream box and scream into the cardboard tube. It doesn’t totally eliminate sounds, but it will muffle your screams and still let you “get it out.” ~Incentive alert~ you can decorate it any way you want!
The third stress relief tool is probably the most popular: the mindfulness jar. However, you’ve never made one like this! The recipe calls for water, glue, glitter, and food coloring. You combine all ingredients and shake it all up. In fact, put it in a mini water bottle… take it with you everywhere!
The fourth stress relief tool is slime. Not just ordinary green slime, I am talking about unicorn slime!! First, pick your favorite colors and get food coloring, add glue, water, baking soda, and shaving cream, mix it all together and HELLO unicorn poop!