As a new semester begins and syllabus week ends, the stress of all college students can be felt around the world. The syllabus week alone may have even caused stress for some students. Some teachers didn’t even wait until after syllabus week to start assigning the real work. But hey, that’s college right? Even though as college students we are expected to have a lot of work, that doesn’t stop the mental breakdowns that may or may not happen during the year. I mean I’m a junior and even though I should be used to the course load, I couldn’t help but stress myself out before the semester really began after the first week of class. I had to tell myself it’s not the end of the world and I can handle this semester just like all of the other ones. But in order to not stress myself out any more than I already have, I developed a list of ways to prevent that from happening.
1. Go to the gym
I do this one a lot actually. I love going to the gym because I like to workout, but also because it’s a good way to clear my mind. I generally feel pretty good after a workout, I think most people do. And just so you know, according to Mayo Clinic working out “helps bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters.” So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by classes, go for a run or go to the gym. Chances are you’ll feel a lot better!
2. Take a nap
Naps make the world go around. And I am not just saying that because I am a lazy college student who doesn’t want to do their work. I am saying that because it’s true. Sometimes you just gotta nap, you know? Did you know that taking naps can increase alertness and productivity? True stuff. Also according to Medical Daily, naps help students improve their memory, and they are able to retain information they just learned better than students who didn’t nap. So nap away!
Adult coloring books are like the new thing to do. I personally have not tried this yet, but I have friends who have. They say how it calms them down and how relaxing it is. That sounds pretty good to me. Who doesn’t want to be calm and relaxed? CNN also said how adult coloring books can actually help you focus. So why not give this a try and see how you feel after coloring for a little while?
4. Read a book
Sometimes you just need to escape from reality and the perfect way to do that is by reading a book. There are sooooo many books out there, one is bound to be of interest to you. Just a couple of chapters a day to put a pause on the real world and enter a new exciting fun world. We’ve heard since we were children that reading makes you smarter from almost all of our teachers, so why not give it a chance?
5. Take a breath
My last piece of advice would be to just take a breath. College is stressful. There’s no getting around that. But it doesn’t have to be stressful all the time. Take a big inhale and then exhale. Do that a couple of times. Just breathe. You can make it through this.
So yes all of these tips take some time out of an already busy day, but by doing at least one of them your stress levels will most likely go down. I personally suggest the nap one because who doesn’t love naps? But try one and see how you feel afterwards!
