College students are no strangers to the idea of stress. But twice a semester we experience extreme levels of stress due to midterms and final exams. We have a hard time managing our time or doing activities that will relieve our stress because we are so overwhelmed. If you’re feeling like this, take a deep breath and follow these five steps to help yourself make it through.
1) Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!
I know that everyone always says to “sleep it off” or “you’ll feel better after a good night’s rest” and that they sound cliché, but these are both true statements. Sleep allows your body to recover from long day of work so you wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and your brain is ready to work again, making it easier for you to be productive. So, basically, don’t pull an all-nighter to get a paper done and make sure you get enough sleep.
2) Exercise
Exercise, and other physical activities, releases endorphins in the brain which act as natural pain killers helping you get out all your nervous energy and regenerate your body. Exercise also aids with sleep, which in turn relieves stress, so grab your sneakers and your yoga mat and go hit the gym.
3) Drink Tea
Green tea as well as many herbal teas contain an amino acid that helps reduce stress by producing a calming effect. Drinking tea is also used as a balancing ritual to cleans the body similarly to exercises such as yoga or tai chi. By drinking tea, you are also hydrating your body with is always a good thing, it is just an all-around great drink to keep you sane.
4) Schedule out your time and stick to it
A key way to relieve anxiety is to make a plan on how and when you are going to get your work done. Write in when you have classes or other obligations first and then fill in with when you are planning on studying, writing your essays, etc. Also write in when you plan on going to sleep and wake up so you are sure to get enough sleep, and the same goes for taking necessary breaks. The most important part of this is to stick to your schedule and not get side tracked, as well as not over scheduling yourself.
5) Just say no
No, this is not in reference to substances, but rather to time management. There are many things on a college campus that can distract you from getting your work done, and exam weeks are not the time to try new activities or to go out. So when your friends ask you to go into town with them for the afternoon and get dinner and you know you have a midterm paper due the next day, it is okay to say no and they will understand. There will always be another opportunity for fun!