Admit it. Stress is a constant feeling especially if you’re a student. We are expected to juggle life and work and school and extra activities that allow you to socialize and get involved and while all of those things have their virtues, they all bring one very real con- stress. It’s really easy to just sit down and cry or eat all your feelings or just pull a couple all-nighters in a row.

All of those coping methods, while enticing, are not really the best or the healthiest. Sure, everyone deals with stress differently, so that’s why I’ve come up with eleven different strategies to defeat the stress beast inside our heads… a least for a little while.

1.) Listen to your favorite music

Whether it’s a nice, calming playlist or a head-bobbing, sing-along type of playlist, music can understand you no matter how you feel.

2.) Watch a movie

Pull up Netflix and escape reality for a little bit… you deserve it!

3.) Lie down somewhere cozy and take a few breaths

Sometimes just lying down on a bed or couch and staring at the ceiling can really help clear your mind for a bit.

4.) Take a nice bath/shower

It may seem strange, but for some people, getting clean can help them feel so refreshed.

5.) Go on a walk

Nature can provide a nice escape from stress and by walking, inspiration to eventually keep working can come.

6.) Have a nice lunch with some friends

Call up your roommates or close friends on campus and meet at a local food joint or on-campus eatery to chat and blow off steam… plus food, what could be better than that?

7.) Clean your space

Sure, some people hate cleaning, but to others, cleaning can help put their mind into another type of work so it’s like de-stressing by being productive in something else.

8.) Color a page of those adult coloring books

They sell them at almost every store chain and it really does help pass time believe it or not.

9.) Exercise

For those who like being active, heading over to the gym can help you channel that stress energy into workout fuel.

10.) Take a nap

Sometimes, all you need is rest and some people wake up feeling much better after having rested their body.

11.) Talk it out with someone

Grab a friend or grab your phone to talk with a family member because sometimes you just have to have a quick therapy session. Telling someone what is stressing you out can sometimes help you make a gameplan on how to stay on top of things. Just let it out because who knows? Maybe something you’re stressing about isn’t really all that stressful after all!