Tips and Tricks to Deal With Stress

By Janessa Rutiaga
Blog Content Contributor

As college students, we all understand the feeling of immense pressure and stress. For some of us that have a heavy work load, the feeling is constant. For others, it comes and goes as the rounds of tests and projects do. I had never experienced true stress until my freshman year, and slowly I had to learn how to deal with it better. Here are my favorite tips and tricks to dealing with stress:

1.  “You time”

   

Everyone needs it, whether or not you’re stressed. You should take at least 30 minutes out of your day to relax and do whatever you need to do that’ll make you unwind. For me, it’s reading a good book. For those 30 minutes, my mind gets a good break and completely submerges itself in the story. The time you set aside should be dedicated to whatever you find relaxing. It could be meditation, reading a book, watching a short television show, or simply just listening to music.

2.  Working out

Exercise is a big stress reliever because your body releases endorphins which naturally make you feel good. Other than that, it also gets your blood pumping and gives you a positive outlook on the day. I find that working out in the morning helps me be more productive during the day, and my stress is virtually none existent. If you choose not to work out in the morning, do it at night. Working out at night can dissolve all your stress from a long day and can help you sleep better.

3.  Sleep

It is essential, especially during stressful times, to get a full night of sleep. Of course, I know firsthand, that getting 8 hours of sleep is often difficult. Students balance full course loads, jobs and organizations, etc.; so staying up late and waking up early seems like the only way to accomplish all your tasks. However, I find that I am much more aware and productive after getting at least 6 hours of sleep the night before. My mind is sharper, I don’t have to inhale an XL coffee every hour, and I get a lot more done. If you’re having tests or presentations, you should definitely go to bed on time so your mind will be fully rested.

4.  Time Management

Managing your time is more of a stress deterrent. People get stressed when they have an over whelming amount of things to do, but not enough time. As students, we should learn to be proactive and utilize all our time on the things we need have accomplished. If you know you have an assignment or paper due next week, start on it early. That way you won’t have to do too much of it the week, or even day, it’s due. The same goes for tests, if you have an exam coming up don’t try and cram a week’s worth of studying into one night. Start studying early. Be proactive with your time management.

5.  Treat your self

I think it’s really important to have something to look forward to at the end of a chaotic week. Whether it’s a pair of shoes you’ve been wanting, a trip somewhere, or just a night out. We’re roughly an hour away from Austin, the live music capitol and there’s live shows every weekend. Tickets are cheap, and it’s fun and exciting enough to get you over a rough week. Whatever it is you choose to do, it should just be something that will be a reward for getting through the week.

I mainly wrote this article because this was my first stressful week of the semester. After being gone from school all summer it can sometimes be difficult to get back into the rhythm of things, but it’s important to stay focused and prepare for anything the semester throws at you. If you’ve already gotten through your first round of exams; congrats! If you haven’t yet; good luck!