College life can be extremely stressful. With demanding coursework and high-stakes exams, it’s easy for your worried thoughts to spiral out of control. Therefore, college is an especially important time to experiment with techniques that help calm your brain. Fortunately, many of these techniques are simple and easy to try. With some consistent practice, these techniques can make an immense difference in your overall well-being.
Stay Fueled
In college, it is easy to skip meals. This is especially true for first-years who need to travel to the nearest dining hall to eat. Moreover, during exams, the time students set aside for meals only decreases. However, your body cannot function optimally without fuel. Therefore, rather than seeing meal times as optional and a waste of time, see them as another assignment. To do your best, you need to feel your best, and eating is essential to do this. Additionally, taking the time to eat can also give your brain a much-needed break from schoolwork. Grab a few friends, some good food, and enjoy!
Make a physical to-do list
In a time dominated by technology, having a physical to-do list often gets overlooked. However, when things get stressful, writing down your tasks can be extremely helpful. Not only does this help you to stay on track, but the act of actually crossing tasks off or checking a box also reminds your brain that you are getting stuff done. Further, when you are especially stressed, making your to-do list just two or three things and actually completing them feels good.
Protect your sleep
As we have all heard, sleep is essential. Your body cannot function without enough sleep. While the amount of sleep people need varies from person to person, at least 7 hours is recommended. Therefore, when you are up late studying and your eyes are closing, remind yourself that the work you are doing is unproductive. If you simply go to bed and pick back up where you left off in the morning, you will be much better off.
Learn breathing techniques
One thing my dad used to always tell me to do whenever I got stressed was to use breathing techniques. His personal favorite is boxed breathing, but there are many to choose from. Whenever he used to tell me to take a minute and box breathe, I would laugh him off. However, over time this has become a constant in my routine. Taking the time to breathe and slow my brain helps me calm down, reset, and focus.
Write it down
Lastly, when all else fails, I resort to writing it down. By this, I mean taking the time to think of positive things that have happened to me throughout the day, or anything I am grateful for, and making a list.
By setting aside time to do this, I remind myself of all of the good things in my life that I often overlook when I am overwhelmed or stressed. This helps ease my spiraling thoughts. This is a very simple exercise and only takes a matter of minutes, but it always helps me reframe my negative mindset.