As the stress of finals slowly draws closer, a lot of students feel their stress levels rising. This is pretty normal and as the stress of grades builds, students feel mentally drained. Many colleges offer stress relief programs, and here at UNG, I've gotten offers for a stress relief art class and a time with therapy dogs that allows you to be in a low stress environment. Over the years of dealing with anxiety and stress, I've found some of the best coping mechanisms for these problems that a lot of students deal with that work for me and might work for you.
1. Taking time out of your day to work out
I know, working out is something that not a lot of us enjoy or look forward to. I'll be the first to admit that there are days were I have to drag myself to the gym, but it is something that always makes me feel incredible afterwards. I feel rejuvenated, more awake and alert and more focused on the task I have at hand. Now I'm not saying that you need to go to the gym and run three miles and bench press 100 lbs., but just some easy jogging or 10 minutes on the elliptical can be super beneficial.
2. Writing about your day
This is something that I actually learned while I was in therapy-- taking 10 minutes at the end of the day to write about it or talk about it. This is especially beneficial for extra stressful days where all you want to do is rant and vent about everything that is bothering you. It's like talking to someone all about your day except you don't have the worry of them judging you or the thought that you are annoying them.
3. Taking up meditation
Stick with me for this one, as a lot of people will see meditation and just roll their eyes. When I say meditation, I'm just talking about taking five to ten minutes out of your day to just sit in a comfortable position. You don't need to twist your legs into a pretzel, just close your eyes and clear your head. When I meditate, I listen to meditation podcasts so that it blocks out any outside noise and I focus on my breathing. If it helps count for eight seconds while you breathe in and eight seconds while you breathe out, this can help you clear your head and focus on breathing instead of whatever may be stressing you out.
4. Yoga
Super stereotypical, yes, but can be super effective. This goes along with meditation, as yoga can help with clearing your head and allowing yourself to focus on things other than what's stressing you out. I mean, have you ever tried being stressed while in downward dog position or warrior position? It's pretty much impossible.
5. Take advantage of your school's programs
A lot of schools now have programs that they have around the times of finals that help students with stress. Remember these programs are part of what your tuition pays for, so go out and participate. If your school doesn't have any specific stress relief activities or programs going on, try to get an appointment with your counselor. The thought of talking to someone about your problems or therapy terrifies a lot of people because they believe that if you go to a professional, then it means that you have a problem. That's just not the case-- if you have stress or problems that are stressing you out go and try to talk to someone about it, it can really help relieve you stress and take that weight off your shoulders.
