As a college student, we are typically stuck in a routine that consists of school work, regular work and daily meltdowns. As midterm week approaches, we are going to class in sweats, studying until 2 a.m., all while trying to maintain whatever’s left of a social life. At times like this, it’s best to simply smile. Personally, these 10 things will always make me smile and distract me from my increasing rate of stress. Although I don’t condone procrastination, if you keep these 10 things in mind and appreciate their serendipitous nature, stress will just melt off of your shoulders.

1. Nice weather

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Whenever I am swamped with work and stress is too much to handle, the best thing to do is appreciate your surroundings. Living in Erie, Pennsylvania, a warm day is quite rare in March, so it’s best to appreciate the days that are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Anne Frank once said,”The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens.” Nice weather is the best kind of surprise for those under an extreme amount of stress.

2. Randomly hearing a song from your childhood

Whenever I am stressed there is nothing better than hearing an older song that reminds me of a simpler time. My roommate and I even sit and listen to the 2000’s hits playlist on Spotify whenever we want to alleviate stress or procrastinate. Nothing beats the situation when you hear a song from 10-plus years ago, and you are able to sing all the words with some good friends.

3. Uncontrollable laughter with your friends

To continue the theme of friends, another thing to smile about is when you and your group start laughing uncontrollably. Laughing so hard at something random your friend says or something awkward in general, creates a bond that is almost unbreakable. The best kind of medicine is laughter, so if you can find the time to laugh at anything, stress will just melt away. Side-splitting, sore lung laughs are the best way to relieve stress.

4. Animal sightings

Maybe this is just the child in me, but whenever I see a cute animal on campus, I can’t help but smile. I can’t even count how many times I have passed an animal while walking to class and just smiling at their existence. This goes in line with appreciating nature and nice weather; it’s almost impossible not to be happy when you randomly see an animal. Stress is no match for the cuteness of an animal.

5. It’s almost summer and school is almost over

Finally, the one thing to remember when you are stressed is that summer is only three months away. We’ve made it through the winter blues, the stress-filled class assignments, and the debilitating feeling of college-student poverty. When you want to stop and have a meltdown about the amount of work you have yet to start, take a step back and smile. The worst is behind us.