College is stressful. It’s as simple as that. Between trying to maintain your grade, juggling classes, and trying to be the best student that you can possibly be, you have a lot on your plate. What I’ve learned throughout my experience as a college student so far is that it’s important to treat yourself and step away from it every once in a while. Here are five things that you can do when you take that break from reality.

1. Get some exercise!

One of the major topics covered in health classes is stress management. What many people don’t realize is how harmful stress if to our health. There are many negative effects that stress can have on your health, which means that is important for us to strive to decrease our stress levels. The first way that you can do that is by exercising. Whether you go for a walk or you go to the gym, the exercise that you get will do your body good and will help you take your mind off of the tasks on your to-do list that are stressing you out.

2. Read a chapter or a few pages of your favorite book!

This task seems very simple, but it can be a great way to transport yourself away from your current situation. One of the things that I love the most about reading is the fact that your mind travels when you read. You can go anywhere, do anything, and be anyone when you read. That’s the beauty of it.

3. Make a schedule!

Many of us have the tendency to overload ourselves and think that we have to do everything at once when we simply can’t do everything all at one time. You can certainly try, but you won’t be able to do your best work. So, what can you do? Make a list of everything that you need to do and the time or day that it needs to be done by. After you’ve done that, get a planner or an agenda and put everything in there. Color code each task and take each task one at a time. You can do it when you break it down!

4. Take some time to color!

As silly as it sounds, coloring is so much fun and can be a great way for people to relieve stress. They even have adult coloring books available with all kinds of fun designs to choose from!

5. Breathe!

One of the worst feelings is that sense of panic that we experience when we think about how much we have to do. What you need to remember is that God won’t give you more than you can handle. If you manage your time, organize your tasks, take some time for your own mental health, and breathe, you’ll find that you can do anything that you set your mind to!

One thing that we all need to work on is improving our stress management skills. It’s not something that you can do overnight, but with time, you can learn new techniques and work toward becoming your best self!