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Combat Stress With These Simple Reminders

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Angel Mathis
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Tori Williams
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at C of C chapter.

April has arrived, which means so have finals, papers, and projects.  While stress is inevitable during this time, remembering the following things could help you to feel more relaxed and less anxious. Better yet, all these tips are free!

 

Smile

Even the smallest act of smiling can help to relieve stress. According to recent studies and experiments, just smiling can help one’s body to relax and feel happier. Laughing, however, is a real stress-buster… but laughing as you study for your biochemistry final might be a little discerning to those around you. So, try to at least smile!

 

Organize

There can never be too many lists. When you’re stressed out and feel like you’re being pulled in all types of directions, remember to organize your thoughts and list them on paper. In addition to helping to remember all your tasks, writing them down also gives you a sense of time management. Crossing each task out once you complete them also makes you feel accomplished, even if for a minute.

 

Sleep

College students are notorious for sacrificing sleep. While caffeine can keep you alert, only sleep can keep you relaxed. When deciding whether to pull an all-nighter or sleep, it’d be best to sleep, because your body needs rest to function properly. So be sure to get some sleep!

 

Hydrate

Most people simply do not drink enough water. Boston College actually reported in 2007 that two-thirds of Americans don’t drink enough water! Being dehydrated can cause the body to feel anxious, because our organs need water to function properly. So, just drinking a glass of water could induce some feeling of relaxation.

 

Exercise

Even just taking a ten-minute study break to take a walk outside can help relieve stress. Exercising releases endorphins in the brain, which trigger a positive feeling in the body. Fresh air and warm sunshine – what could be better than that?

 

 

Picture: http://rpm-therapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/student_stress.jpg 

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College of Charleston junior Angel Mathis is pursuing a BA in Communication with a double minor in Creative Writing and Tourism Management. While still uncertain of her career path, Angel knows that the field of Communication is where she is meant to be. Her love of words is evident in her writings and conversations. Because she knows the power, the beauty, and the pain words carry, she speaks and writes with care, and hopes that one day a string of words she threads together positively influences someone's life. Until then, she'll continue to bake, travel, and laugh her days away. 
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Originally from West Virginia, Tori Williams is a senior at the College of Charleston in South Carolina majoring in Communication, and minoring in International Studies and Dance. Tori is currently the editor-in-chief and a featured writer for the Her Campus CofC chapter, as well as an editorial intern with Charleston Magazine. She also dances with Dance FX Charleston's performance company and through the College of Charleston. When she's not busy, Tori loves to read, run, and do hot yoga. She hopes to someday be an editor and writer for a big time magazine.