With school starting up again, things are already starting to complicate your life. The first couple of weeks you can coast and feel content, even with the all you have to do slowly creeping up in the back of your mind. From personal experience, it is hard to remember that you are the main focus of your life — it’s okay to be selfish and put yourself first. While it is important to try and get everything done and go that extra mile, you don’t want to suffer personally because of it. So, because of this, I sat down and thought of eleven things that help me calm down, and I that believe fully will help any person that is feeling lost in their own mind.

1. Learn to say no

It really is okay. It is a cliche to put this as the number one remedy, but I am a true victim of this. You feel like you have to please everyone around you, when in reality they know that you won’t say “no” and can take advantage of that. It becomes a dangerous trend and you become that person. Simply say, “I’m sorry I can’t, I’m just too busy!” even if you’re in your bed watching Scandal, because you are busy and you’ve got to finish that fourth season. Priorities.

2. Turn your phone off, even if it’s for an hour

This step is so important without you even realizing it. We live in a technology-dependent generation. If I am away from constant communication, I have a panic moment of fearing I will be missing out. Serious FOMO, but if you just put your phone across the room for an hour, just to let it charge, you will start to forget about the outside world within 15 minutes. This is so important for your state of mind as well as your productivity- you can get more homework and tasks completed if you just leave your phone out of your hands. Your motors in your brain keep running in different directions when you’re trying to focus but you have your phone in your hand.

3. Make time for yourself

I live by this rule fully and contently. Because at the end of the day, the only person you truly have is yourself, and you need to take care of you. If you don’t make time to unwind, you become more stressed and even can become sick more easily. Even if you just take a bathe or sit down to read a book for 30 minutes or just do something that doesn’t involve running an errand, that’s giving your mind and body a break.

4. Take a nap

It’s not just for babies.

5. Come back to it later

This kind of goes with taking a nap. If there’s something you can’t solve or if you are just to the point of no end and feel like you’re drowning, just pack it up and worry about it later, even if there’s a deadline. You would rather do something right in a quicker amount of time than drag it on and do just “okay.” It helps you regroup, and take a breath.

6. Exercise

This one I definitely should do more often, but every time you do it, all of the toxins from your body melts away. Even if it’s 30 minutes or just walking around The Grove, you’re getting your blood pumping and helping your mind release built up energy and stress.

7. Eat bad food

I wouldn’t suggest doing this before number six, but hey it’s your life. While maintaining a healthy diet is so important, it’s okay to go to McDonald’s. It’s absolutely terrible for you and will make your body feel like an inflated balloon, but sometimes all someone needs is a good helping a chicken nuggets to make it all better.

8. Eat good food

Eat green food. Eat your vegetables. It may not be as good as a Sonic blast, but it makes you feel more energized and will keep your body and mind healthy and pumping.

9. Choose what “you” want, not what your friends want

This one is very important to me. Your friends should never be one to pressure you to do something, and I am so blessed to not have that, but just because everyone is “going out” doesn’t mean you have to as well. Especially if you want to do something else, like move on to season five of Scandal. Because in the end, your friends will still love you, and you will feel more content.

10. Get some sun

Use sunscreen of course, but sometimes it’s good to just go outside and let the sun radiate off of your skin. It helps you sweat, and you shouldn’t lay outside until you look like a baked potato, but after 20 minutes you will feel a little better. And tanner.

11. Drink more water, not soda (unless it’s a Cherry Coke)

When in doubt, water cures it all. It keeps everything in you working and sometimes it’s better to choose water rather than the alternative. It will save you in the long run. Unless the alternative is a cherry coke, then definitely pick the cherry coke.

12. Remind yourself that not everything will turn out the way it is supposed to

Not to spoil the ending, but everything is going to be okay. That’s the motto I live by. You will sleep well at night once you realize that you cannot get everything you want. Life doesn’t work like that. But if you try your hardest, that is all you can do. And by putting yourself first, you are reminding yourself that maybe it won’t pan out how you want it, but you have yourself and that’s all you need. It all happens for a reason, so just trust it.