One Day at a Time

By Alexandra Cochran
Blog Content Contributor

Feeling quite tired and it’s only 3PM? Trying to eat right but also keep up with paying utilities on time, and pretending to love math just so you trick yourself into wanting to study? I share a lot of this pain with you but I’m here to tell you we’re going to get through it, one deep breath at a time.

Not only am I a transfer and a new resident of Texas, but this semester also marks the second semester I’ve been attending Texas State University. Although I feel like I’ve gotten comfortable with my surroundings around the campus and my new home, I still get really anxious and frustrated during the week when I’m trying to get things completed. I started to question the reasons why I was feeling so stressed out and feeling so ready for spring break (or summer, who are we kidding?). I would consider myself a very organized person and when things are not organized, I stress. If this happens to you, I have some helpful tips I use myself with the pile-up of stress I get during the semester.

1. Organize. Fun fact, I was put into classes to learn how to stay organized during the school year when I was in elementary school so that I could begin healthy habits as a youngling. Grabbing a planner or calendar at your local store could make a huge impact. Write out all of your activities and due dates you might have that week so your mind isn’t cluttered with a never-ending list of to-dos. When you visually see things planned out, you get a better perspective of how your week is going to go. This will also help you prioritize your tasks and aid you to feel less anxious.
2. Separate your space. If you are better at getting homework done in a specific spot of your home, don’t let distractions like social media or roommates take over your groove. In fact, if you can, stay on campus to complete assignments you know you’ll certainly try to procrastinate on once you get home.
3. Set reminders on your phone to alert you when utilities and rent are due. Heck, set a reminder to clean out your cat’s litter box while you’re at it. It’s the best way, in my opinion, to take advantage and rely on technology to remind you so you don’t have to.
4. Hungry on campus but low on money? Peanut butter and jelly. Peanut allergy? I recently discovered Wowbutter, the “no peanut” peanut butter. You know what’s even better about accidentally sleeping in? Already having snacks packed so you can make it to class on time. Pack your snacks the night before you go to sleep (use a reminder!) so you can roll out of bed and not go hungry in the middle of the day. Genius.
5. Make breakfast accessible. Again, if you’re not a morning person, or stayed up too late studying (cough, cough) then you’re usually rushing in the morning. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it’s what fuels you for the day, duh! A banana and toast will go a long way. Avocado toast with salt, pepper and a tomato if you’re feeling fancy. Pop that toast in while you get ready and grab it while you’re on the way out the door. An empty stomach only helps you stress out more.

With these hacks, you’ll not only make things easier for yourself, but also begin to get into a better groove for the rest of the semester and finish strong. The more things are taken care of, the more relief you’ll feel. Just remember, your priority is to graduate, and you can only get there one day at a time, so plan out your days and get things done. And if you’re interested, I’m thinking of sharing short breakfast recipes for students “on-the-go.” Stay tuned with our blog and watch out for some more cool things coming your way!

Featured image by Alexandra Cochran.