It's that time of the year again; class is back in session, people! And I don't know about you, but I'm already stressed out just thinking about the upcoming piles of homework in my near future. I'm going into my sophomore year at Tulsa Community College, and if you're like me, you didn't have to work or study hard to maintain good grades in high school. But once my freshman year of college began, I quickly realized the workload is incomparable to what I had in high school. Freshman year hit me like a train, and I had a considerable amount of emotional breakdowns due to constant stress and fear of not being able to get my work done and turned in on time. However, I survived freshman year and maintained a 4.0 GPA because I learned how to channel all that stress into something positive! So I thought I could share some insight on ways to keep help keep your stress level at a minimum for all incoming freshman college students.

1. Don't Procrastinate

I'd be lying if I said I never procrastinated my freshman year. But trust me, I learned the hard way that procrastinating on your assignments only results in more stress when you eventually have to do it! Waiting until the last minute to do your work is the WORST thing you can do, especially when it comes to major assignments or projects. Instead, split up the assignment into several parts, and work on it for short periods of time over the course of a few days. It's less stressful, AND you won't have to stress about not being able to turn it in on time because you procrastinated.

This also applies to studying for major exams in your classes-

Don't wait until the night before the test to cram and attempt to memorize all the material you need to know. THIS DOESN'T WORK! Instead, take good notes prior to the exam so that you have something to study from. If you're lucky, your professor will give you a study guide, and you should use your notes to fill this out immediately. To study, you should look over your study guide or notes every night the week before the exam, so that you actually learn and know the material. Knowing the material that will be on the test makes you more confident, which will keep you calm and guarantee you a good grade on the exam!

2. Take Study Breaks.

I cannot emphasize enough how important this is. Attempting to study for hours on end is extremely boring, and can also be overwhelming. Staring at your notes, or a textbook, or your computer screen for an extended period of time makes it hard to keep your eyes open. If your focus isn't sharp, then it doesn't matter how long you sit there staring at your notes or your computer, YOU'RE NOT LEARNING ANYTHING. Don't waste your time studying like this! Instead, study for 45-50 uninterrupted minutes, and then take a short break before you hit the books again. Go to the gym, have a snack, go outside and get some air, do something that will help you relax and get your mind off everything for a bit. That way when you go back to studying, your mind is refreshed and focused on the task at hand.

3. Exercise.

Exercise has been proven to help reduce stress and also improve memory and focus! During exercise, endorphins are released in your brain, which act as natural painkillers, and these endorphins make your mind and body feel good. Any time I was stuck on an assignment and needed a break to get my mind off school, or felt that I was under an insane amount of stress, I hit the gym or went for a quick run in my neighborhood. When I finished my workout, I instantly felt more relaxed and at peace with my current situation. I'd come home afterwards, and get right back to what I was working on feeling refreshed.

Added bonus: it also helps you avoid the infamous "Freshman 15" ;)

4. Get Enough Sleep.

I know this one can be hard. How are you supposed to do all your homework, study for upcoming exams, go to work, exercise, have a social life, AND get enough sleep??? It's pretty much impossible. But sleep is an obvious necessity. If you're anything like me, it's hard to function without at least 5-6 hours of sleep, and even then I'll probably need some caffeine to keep me going. The recommended amount of sleep for a college student is 8+ hours a night...I know people who don't get 8 hours of sleep in a matter of two days. Sleep is important! I know that college is exciting an there's always fun, exciting stuff going on, but make sure you have time to rest. If you have a big test the next day, don't go out the night before. Stay home, study, and get some sleep. If you've got a huge project that's not done and it's due in a couple days...stay home, finish it, and get some rest. I know, I sound like your mom, but you are attending college for a degree. There will be other nights to go out, there will be other parties, concerts, et cetera.

5. Make Time For Yourself & The Things You Love.

I know that this can seem impossible to do, especially if you have a job on top of all your schoolwork, but this is so important. Finding a balance between school, work, sleep, your social life, and time alone for yourself is difficult to do. And unfortunately, you do sometimes have to give up your social life for a week or so because you have a busy school and work schedule. That's one of many things that sucks about being an adult. But when you do have some spare time to spend with your loved ones, or alone, be present in the moment and make the most of it! My spare time is spent at the gym, writing in my journal, watching my favorite shows on Netflix, and hanging out with my family and friends. Find time to do the things you love so that you have an outlet away from school and work that you can just sit back and enjoy. College isn't easy, but life doesn't get any easier after it's over either.