This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter.
Everybody gets to that point in school in which you either want to rip your hair out or cry just a bit. School, especially college, can be difficult and push you to your last limit. The crazy part about this is you might feel like it’s only you who goes through this, but you’re not. The other aspect of this dilemma is that many of us have different ways of coping with the immense amount of stress. Mine is usually to silently panic and blast music through my headphones until I can’t hear anyone around me. By doing this, I can drown out any thoughts and immerse myself in something I enjoy. The headphones act as a forced restart in my brain. I don’t necessarily condone this method because it’s not the healthiest way. However, I do believe that there are many strategies out there to combat the wave of anxiety. Each one will require you to take a step away from whatever is stressing you out and take a moment for yourself. I want to state that you will need to prioritize your mental health first because mental health matters.
Photo by Max Van Den Oetelaar from Unsplash
The first method that I will be suggesting is meditation. I know that meditation is not for everybody due to its slow pace, but I believe that it can be incredibly helpful. The act of slowing down and only focusing on your breath allows for your mind to take a break. The task is to zone in on a natural human function, do what you can control. If you can only step away for 5 minutes, then take those 5 minutes to release the anxiety you had previously. Not only does the stress diminish, but you are now more focused and ready to tackle your task. Another tactic to battle the midterm/final blues is to exercise, whatever that means for you. In the time of COVID, I do not recommend going to the gym. Exercising at one’s home or going outdoors is the perfect solution for this otherwise rather awful time. If you take a walk, make it into a game. When you look around, start to notice the details of the things surrounding you. Take a moment to look at the way a tree curves, or the temperature in the air, or the sound of people walking by. There is beauty to this mundaneness that people do not often realize. We are continuously programmed to believe that slowing down equates to weakness or unproductivity. I completely disagree with this philosophy. Slowing down brings awareness, control, and joy.
Photo by Nicole De Khors from Burst/Shopify
The last of my recommendations on this list of activities is to dance. Not everybody enjoys it due to its watchful nature, but dancing releases endorphins. The liberation of banishing those negative emotions, even for only a minute, is something powerful. The whole purpose of this activity is to follow with your heart and forget your head. I know that I am one of those people who get so caught up in my head that I often forget to look around and enjoy the moment for what it is. The key to all of this is the act of releasing. To release is to let go of worries and appreciate that they are no longer with you.
Amala Diamond is a sophomore at UMass Amherst who writes and photographs for HerCampus. Her passions are social justice, woman's empowerment, and advocating for mental health. Her goals are to encourage and continue these difficult conversations and familiarize political issues with a younger audience.
