The first few weeks of college seem like a breeze. You get to decorate your dorm, hang out with friends, and walk around campus. However, when classes start, things become a bit more stressful. Before you know it, it’s week four and you have three readings, one essay due, and two exams to study for. This is where the stress really starts to pick up, and you feel like you are struggling. Not only do you have to do all this work, but you also have to make sure you are taking care of yourself, which puts even more on your plate. In order to cope with the stress that college may bring, I provided a list of tips that help me when life becomes very stressful.
- Put the work down
You have an exam tomorrow and need to continuously study? No you don’t. Put the work down and walk away. While this may seem unhelpful for your exam that is right at noon tomorrow, nothing is more unhelpful than studying continuously for 4 hours straight. One of the most helpful things that I had done for my mind was to study for an hour, take a break, and then study again for another hour. The magic behind this is that you are able to read over any notes/powerpoints/ or flashcards that are helpful for the exam, then you can walk away and take a break, and then come back and quiz yourself to see what you remember. This way, you get to relax a bit all while making sure you have retained the information that you read.
- You don’t have to be productive all the time
Even though you are in college, do not feel as if you have to be productive every hour of the day. I felt that if I wasn’t productive from 8:00 am through 11:00 pm everyday, I would be a huge failure for wasting time. Do not think like this at all. College is meant to be a challenge; not a blood sucking leech. Attempting to be productive for this long will lead to periods of burnout, and then you won’t be productive for days on end. Make sure to take breaks every now and then, stay hydrated, eat some food, and make sure to get enough sleep. Also remember that productivity looks different for everyone. Just because someone doesn’t take naps throughout the day doesn’t mean you can’t. Do what works best for you, whatever that may be.
- Don’t be afraid to voice your concerns
Talking to people when you are very stressed out can actually be incredibly helpful. This is because you are voicing your concerns to someone you trust, which can take off a lot of weight on your shoulders. I understand that this can be difficult, especially when you don’t like talking to people about your personal struggles. I even had difficulty with this because I wanted to look well put together in someone’s eyes. However, there is nothing wrong with voicing your concerns to others. Sometimes these individuals can even give you some advice, which is helpful. The bottom line is to always try and talk to people you trust, as there is no harm in doing so.
I hope these tips are helpful in relieving some stress. Just remember that the most important thing is to take care of yourself. While academics are important, your mental and physical health is more important!
