I don’t know about you, but when I was younger, dealing with stress was never an easy thing. As soon as I entered college, the stress only grew! It could be anything, from classes to dealing with issues with your friends, to money headaches and constantly keeping up with your parents’ phone calls. Really, I never even learned how to properly start facing stress head-on until this year. One thing we often forget in this crazy, fast-paced life is, in between working to survive and balancing different relationships, it’s highly important to take care of oneself. It was only when I started practicing these tips that I learned to put stress on the back-burner, while spending some time on me!

1. Pick a TV show and stick to it

I myself am a full-fledged television show addict. From Netflix’s Daredevil to ABC’s Once Upon a Time and even to Fox’s Bob’s Burgers, my tastes are far from narrow-minded. While I may have the habit of starting too many TV shows at once, if you pick just one show and take time out of your day to dedicate an hour or two each week, it’ll give you something to look forward to after a long day of classes or work. And when you finally finish the TV show, you’ll truly feel bittersweet with a sense of accomplishment… but as long as you can pick another show off of Netflix, it’ll all be okay!

2. Dedicate time to skin care

Since a majority of your week is devoted to classes, the many papers you have to write, and the long hours of work put into it, your skin can definitely end up looking haggard and tired. I usually like to combat my vampire-like look by using a face mask once a week. As a broke college student, it’s easy to not feel luxurious all the time. But for me, after I mask and my skin looks immediately refreshed afterwards (Thank you L’Oreal Purify & Mattify Pure-Clay Mask!) I feel on top of the world.

3. And I know this is such a basic tip but, drinking water throughout the day, and avoiding really sugary sweets before bed definitely helps.

I don’t know how many times I’ve had a spoonful, or two, or five, of Nutella, only to wake up with ridiculous breakouts the next morning! If you do indulge in dessert right before bed, make sure it doesn’t happen every day!

4.GET SLEEP! PLEASE do it!

There are always those days where you start off with watching an episode of Netflix and before you know it, it’s 5 o’clock the next morning and you’re neck-deep in Season 3 of New Girl. I’ve done it a hundred times before, and let me tell you how much I regretted it when I was falling asleep during my 9 AM classes. If it’s exactly seven hours, no-more, no-less, or the standard eight hours of sleep that you need to feel reenergized the next day, make sure you get those hours in! Feeling refreshed, awake, and alert early in the morning can make all the difference in how your day goes and how you deal with what life throws your way. And, if for some reason you don’t get enough sleep before class, it’s perfectly alright to take a nap! Just remember, not overindulging is key!

5. Organize your life and prioritize your time

If you already know what’s due or what’s happening during any given day or week, you can already begin tackling it in advance. I usually write down the due dates of all my assignments on a calendar as soon as I get my syllabi, and honestly it’s been a game-changer. If I can physically see in front of me what’s due versus constantly rushing back and forth between different syllabi or looking at notes I might’ve made on my phone calendar, it makes all the difference and will remind me to get my work done.

6. If you have multiple commitments that are pulling you apart, remember: You came to college for school.

It’s so easy to forget when you’re with your friends or when you’re participating in some sort of organization. But your classes, internships, and grades should definitely always come first. If you find yourself suddenly under a whole lot of stress with people demanding things of you left and right, prioritize, inform them of what's happening, and do what you got to do.

7. Exercise in some way, shape, or form

Be it 15 minutes of yoga in the morning, or experiencing the joy of leg day at the gym, make sure to get in some sort of exercise. I know if it weren’t for the hours I spent dancing each week, I would definitely feel like a true couch potato. Exercising releases endorphins, and endorphins tend to make people happy! Plus, if you set aside time out of your week to exercise, it’ll be something for yourself that’ll help you out in the long run. Exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle after all! Spend time with your friends

8. Whenever I’m in a funk of a mood, I know I’m lucky enough to count on my friends to be there for me.

Whether it’ll be us cooking together, watching movies at the theaters, or just sitting at home, laughing about anything, my friends can instantly change my mood and my day. If you’re stressing out, remember that you can always go to your friends with whatever issues you may have. Even if you don’t like discussing your problems, I find that just being with someone else will help you realize that you don’t have to face your issues alone.

9. Listen to music depending on your mood

While it may be tempting to blast Green Day or MCR after a long, stressful day, I promise you that listening to music that’ll make you even more sad or stressed is not worth it. Just don’t do it! I’m guilty through and through, and I know that it feels good in the moment, But, if you’re still listening to the same music hours later, you’re not helping anyone. Instead, listen to music that’ll make you pumped, hyped, or want to dance! Be sure to check out Spotify for all their different playlists! I myself, personally love listening to some Hindi music when I’m down!

10. Don’t be ashamed to “Treat yoself”

All in all, life is TOUGH. There isn’t a day that’ll go by without some sort of stress, no matter how big or how minute. You just have to remember to be kind to yourself! Be it a nap amidst a busy day, or an episode or two of your favorite show, do whatever you need to do to unwind and relax. While these tips aren’t a guaranteed way to forever combat life’s obstacles, they might help to lessen the burden at times. And don’t forget that if the stress truly is getting to you, you can always talk to someone trusted, be it a friend, sibling, professor, etcetera. And if you don’t want to talk to someone you know, there are different hotlines or even online sites available for you to speak to reliable individuals. I wish you the best of luck with your week and remember, treat yourself!