Ah, stress. It seems like all my friends and I talk about recently is how much stress we are dealing with. As college students, we have a lot of reasons to be stressed. Between essays, jobs, and deadlines, it’s easy for us to become overwhelmed, especially as the semester is kicking into high gear. If you find yourself feeling stressed beyond function, don’t worry yourself any further. Here are 7 tricks and tips that will help you feel better instantly, and get you back in control of your life.
1. Identify your stressors.
In order to eliminate your stress, it’s essential for you to pinpoint what is is that is causing you stress. Think over everything you have going on at the moment – classes, jobs, etc., and find out which one is putting you under the most pressure. Once you identify what’s bothering you, you can then figure out how to tackle each one of these issues accordingly.
2. Let go of the things you can’t control.
Let’s face it. While we wish we could fix everything that’s going wrong in our lives, there are certain factors and situations that are just completely beyond our control. Often times we are stressed due to unfortunate circumstances that we are in, and our need to gain control over our luck is what causes us stress. If you learn to accept and move on from the things you can not change, you’ll find that your stress level drops instantly.
3. Take some time for self-care.
Whenever I’m stressed, I forget to take time out of my day to actually take care of myself, and this just leads to even more stress. Make some tea, put on a face mask, cue up your favorite movie on Netflix…whatever it is that makes you feel better, do it. Taking some time for self care may not remedy your problems, but it will make you feel more relaxed, and capable of tackling your issues later.
4. Get in some exercise.
Photo by Jacob Postuma.
Elle Woods was right when she told us that “exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy!” When you are feeling overwhelmed, the last thing you want to do is take a trip to the gym. But exercise is known to relive stress and tension in your body, and can allow you to release the pent up emotions you’re experiencing. Even if you’re not up for any high intensity activity, you can still follow this tip. Doing some yoga, or even taking a walk and getting fresh air can release some endorphins and leave you feeling less stressed.
5. Clean your room.
I know that you’re probably thinking this is a terrible tip, but hear me out on this one. I hate cleaning my room as much as the next person, but I find that having a messy room or working space just makes me feel much more overwhelmed. If you’re willing to suffer a few minutes of cleaning pain, then tidying up your room, or even just organizing your desk space can help out a lot. When my environment and my work space are de-cluttered, I find that the tasks I need to do are much less stressful than when I’m surrounded by mess.
6. Make a to-do list.
Photo by Glenn Peters.
If you’re feeling stressed, there’s a good chance that it has something to do with your classwork and upcoming exams. When I think about the endless list of things I need to do, I feel so overwhelmed that it’s hard to even begin. If you find yourself in the same situation, do yourself a favor by making a to-do list out of everything you need to complete. Schedule out singular tasks to finish on a daily basis, and you’ll find that the huge tasks seem much more manageable.
7. Call a friend / family member.
When it seems like everything is going wrong, sometimes we just need to hear the voice of someone close to us to take the weight off of our shoulders. Whether it’s your mom, your best friend from home, or even another friend on campus, think of the person who makes you feel the most comfortable and give them a ring. Talking about your stress and letting out your feelings to someone who will listen is often the only thing I need to calm me down, and remind me that I can handle anything that comes my way.
No matter what kind or amount of stress you are under, it’s important to remember that it won’t last forever. Everything is temporary and will pass in time, and by following these tips, you’ll find that the present day stress is manageable, and you can always take control of your life.