Stress is something that everyone deals with. School, work and extracurricular activities are some major causes of stress in the life of a college student. With the new semester starting, stress levels are high, especially coming back from a break. Students that just got jobs over the break are now learning how to balance school with work. Other students are learning how to make time for classes, sports and work. Here are some tips on how to overcome stress.
Identify what is causing the stress.
Although you can overcome the stress without figuring out what is causing it, it is much easier to overcome if you find the root of the problem.
See what you can do to change it.
If the stress is caused by school or work, plan out your day so you can make more time to finish the tasks you must complete.
Stress can be caused by sleep deprivation.
As a college student, I can say that most of us have pulled all-nighters or stayed up late finishing an assignment or cramming for an exam. Although it might be difficult at first, giving yourself a set time for bed is a major stress reliever. Try to figure out how many hours of sleep you need, and plan to get enough sleep each night.
Learn to say “no."
If people are constantly asking for help, you have to start putting your needs ahead of theirs. Although it might feel good to help someone, and it might be hard for you to displease them, helping someone else should not bring more stress onto you.
If you can’t find the source of your stress, find something to relieve the stress.
Everyone has different tools they can use for stress relief. For some people, music or reading is a great stress reliever, but for others, it doesn’t work as well. Some other examples include walking, running or another form of exercise, watching a movie or talking to friends and family. Find what works for you.
Try breathing exercises.
Everything we do revolves around us breathing, so if you can concentrate on your breathing, it will calm you down and clear your mind.
Stay away from unhealthy forms of stress relief.
This could be bingeing junk food, withdrawing from your social life, smoking and drinking. These habits can have horrible consequences and can make the level of stress you endure much higher.
Get help.
If the stress is too much, or you think you will take the stress out on someone else, get help. If you find yourself stressing too much and you can’t seem to get a grip on it, talk to someone. Talking it out is a helpful tool for many people. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone you know, see if you can get counseling. The Counseling and Substance Abuse Services of College of Charleston are a helpful resource to use. The Cougar Counseling Team is also an option. These resources are here to help you, not judge you. Don't be scared to get help because it will only hurt you more to bottle it up.
Stress is something everyone deals with. College students have a lot on their plates and without proper stress relief and management, more harmful consequences could arise. While stress at a normal level is healthy, being overly stressed can harm you and others, so do what you can to keep your stress level maintained.
