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The 7 Best Ways to Deal with Stress in College

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Katie Pfeifer
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Brittany Dillard
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Xavier chapter.

College is a time for finding yourself through your academic and social life. The four years you spend at college can be the best of your life, but that doesn’t mean that they will be easy. College is a difficult four years: you are on your own for the first time, away from your parents, with a lot of time on your hands. Dealing with all that a college student goes through can be very stressful, but it is possible to handle. Here are the seven best ways to deal with all that your four years in college will throw at you! 

1. Make a list of what needs to be done!

I use this method all the time whenever I get really stressed out. I take sticky notes and place them on my desk with a list of what I need to complete for the day. It’s a great reminder of what you need to accomplish, without having to think of what needs to be done off the top of your head. The checklist will keep you on schedule for what is coming up in your day.

2. Get in a workout!

Getting the motivation to go and workout can be a real struggle sometimes, but the benefits of working out when stressed are very gratifying! Working out gets your mind off of the stress that is happening in your life. Whether it is a simple walk around the campus or a hard workout at the gym, exercising will allow your mind to venture off of the stress that you are dealing with in your life.

3. Sleep!

All-nighters are bound to happen in college, but make sure they aren’t happening every night. Getting a good night’s sleep will keep your mind at ease and your body rested for the next day.

4. Make time for yourself!

I know I just said that hanging out with friends is a great stress reliever, but so is making time for yourself. Whether it is for five minutes or five hours, take time away from the hustle and bustle of college and spend it with yourself to recollect your thoughts.

5. Hang out with friends!

Your friends are a great source fortaking a break from the stressful events going on in your life. They bring out a special side in you that is bound to make you smile and relax, so make sure to spend time with your friends when you are feeling stressed.

6. Breathe!

This may sound very simplistic, but just taking time to breath slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth can really destress the mind and get you focused. Sometimes our stress causes us to forget about what keeps us alive and well, so take time to breath when you feel stressed out. 

7. Be in the moment!

The biggest way to stay stress free in college: DO NOT stress about what is coming. Stress is bound to happen in college, but remember to not let the past or future stress you out. College is some of the best years of your life; do not let the little things bother you! Live everything in college to the fullest, and always remember to be in the present moment.

Follow these tips on dealing with stress in college, and you’re bound to tackle anything stressful that is thrown your way!

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Katie Pfeifer is a sophomore Psychology major and Gender and Diversity Studies minor. She is from Springboro, Ohio, which is about 20 minutes south of Dayton. She love to shop, dance, hang out with her friends, and listen to music. She is obsessed with animals, watching youtube videos, and traveling! She has written for Her Campus Xavier and in the past, she worked on the marketing team! She always has a smile on her face, and she loves to make people happy! :)
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Brittany is a senior accounting major from Saint Louis, Missouri and is a Campus Correspondent for Xavier University. When not organizing Her Campus Xavier, she can be found working with Tedx Xavier University or Xavier Women in Business. She  wishes she could spend all of her free time with puppies.