Handling Stress

by: Tiffany Smock

This past week has been one of the busiest and most stressful so far this semester. You know it's bad when you can't even remember what day of the week it is anymore! Balancing college and an internship can be very time consuming as I'm sure many students have come to realize. But don't fret my fellow students! Despite the hectic schedule of this week I have learned some valuable lessons and tips for relieving stress. These tips have come from my mentors, family, friends, and even myself so without future ado here are the tips and tricks I have learned.

-center yourself and relax
This is one that I am trying so hard to master and hope to do so soon. Just take a deep breath and calm your mind down. When you stress your blood pressure rises and you cannot think clearly, making your busy schedule even more crazy. By relaxing your body and mind you can better focus on the tasks that you need to complete.

-write EVERYTHING down
A common cause of stress is a result of not being organized. Make sure you write everything, and I do mean everything down. Write down when you are going to eat, workouts, naps, even your breaks from homework. It may seem ridiculous at first but trust me you'll be grateful for it later. By doing this, you will stay on track and will be guaranteed a less stressful life.

-take a break every now and then
Now this is one that every college student falls prey too. And we've all heard the advice time and time again: do not sit and study for hours, split your time into intervals it will be much more productive. But as we all know, this rarely ever happens. We most often times sit for hours doing homework and studying to just get it all done and out of the way. However, this is actually hurting you more than it is helping you. Your brain needs a break too as well as your muscles. Staying in a sitting position for too long can make your muscles go stiff and focusing too hard on homework can give you the brain-dead syndrome. So make sure that you give yourself time away from your homework to relax and refresh.

-make time for fun!
I said earlier about writing everything down in your schedule, but don't forget to throw in something that you love to do. Whether it be listening to music, watching t.v., riding your bike, hanging out with friends, reading a book, or simply just walking outside. Doing something you really enjoy can really lighten your mood and help you to step away from your stress. And don't worry about what you have to get done, just enjoy what you love to do!

I really hope that these tips have helped and that all my fellow students become less stressed and more balanced.