- Chat with your friends
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Although some days it feels like you’re cracking under pressure, there will always be someone you can lean on. Whether you vent to your best friend or pen pal, make sure to get all your emotions out before they have a negative impact on your character. To prevent your feelings of guilt, regret, and stress from festering inside, reach out to people who can remind you how amazing you are! Sometimes we all need a pep talk!
- Make today a spa day
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You probably won’t be getting any work done, so try and relax with a face mask and nail polish while binge watching Netflix. Trust me — this works wonders. You can definitely do this alone if you are like me and enjoy a bit of alone time!
- Listen to music
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I tend to listen to music while riding my bike whenever I’m feeling antsy. This helps me focus and realize that everything will pass. Especially since we’re college students, every little problem seems monstrous. If you can find a way to step back and look at the situation, you will be able to see how you can change your perspective on your worries.
- Meditate/practice yoga
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Sometimes the only way to distract yourself is to exercise to oblivion. Although I’m more of the stress-eating type, some of you might need to breathe and stretch to gain awareness. Doing this in a scenic place might help you concentrate and remember all that you should be grateful for. I love heading to Monroe Park to get my sunlight and stretching in! Even if you are not religious, meditation can be a simple way to ground yourself in the present and imagine expelling all the negative thoughts and energy we unconsciously accumulate through the week.
- Make a plan
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Oftentimes, we are stressed out because we are anxious about the future. From the huge midterm exam to your first job interview, we tend to live more in the future than the present. Instead of freaking out (and successfully destroying your self-esteem), try to find potential solutions to your problem. If you know more about the situation, you can feel more in control and confident. This tactic works especially well in an academic setting. For example, if you are worried about getting into grad school, search up tips for writing admission essays essays. Participate in more activities you enjoy so you can show admissions officers that you are hard-working and driven, but also not simply trying to satisfy a “checklist.”
My biggest mistake in college has been treating activities that make me happy and motivated as “wasted time” because it didn’t immediately lead to something tangible like a completed assignment or paycheck. Make sure to take the time out for yourself before it catches up to you! I still need to keep working on this myself, but with these strategies, I have been able to take control of my social and academic life while staying happy and healthy.