I need to write this article; I need to read several chapters for every class that I am taking this semester; I need to organize service events… I need t—
Oh god, there is so much to do.
Now that school is no longer looming in the background and is instead very much so on the forefront of the minds of students, it is easy to be overwhelmed by stress. When I start slipping into the abyss of anxiety turned existential dread (i.e. internal screaming), I have a few mechanisms that pull me back to reality. We all have our own means of coping, so I encourage you to develop your own; however, a dash of inspiration (usually) never hurts.
1. Breathe
I know that this seems like silly advice; if you are successfully reading this, obviously you are breathing. I don’t mean breathing in the sense of one’s natural rhythm of respiration. I mean inhale and feel the way that oxygen rushes into your lungs; focus on expanding your chest and filling every possible crevice with air. Exhale and force everything back out, away from yourself. Repeat. With each breath, try to clear your mind — only focus on the way it feels to breathe. If you want, you can turn this into a meditation session. If you are unable to meditate, simply breathing is okay; close your eyes and focus on how it feels to be alive.
2. Utilize all of your senses
When anxiety takes over, it can be hard to feel connected with anything but your trembling mind. Sure, that midterm may be important, but remember that in the scheme of life your very existence is much more important than any individual stressor could be. To disconnect with anxiety and reconnect with yourself, focus on feeling. What are you hearing? What objects and textures are being brushed against your skin? How do your clothes feel; how do your lips, hands, and appendages feel in whatever way they are positioned? Is there a breeze caressing your face, or are you in air conditioning? What can you smell? Taking time to physically feel can help take the intensity away from what you are feeling emotionally and mentally.
3. Use your hands to express how you are feeling
Repeat after me: it is okay to have feelings. It is okay to not be okay. It is okay to be frustrated, sad, overwhelmed — anything. It may seem that society says that one must shut off his or her emotions and banish them to a dark and forgotten corner in the back of his or her mind. Quite frankly, I do not care what society says — in its refusal to accept the importance of emotional expression, it is wrong. When you are feeling upset, write it out. I keep a notebook that is filled with my anxious musings. You don’t need to produce the best novel that the world has ever seen; you don’t even need to use full sentences. My notebooks are filled with fragments of frustration. They aren’t beautiful, but they are necessary. Document how you are feeling in whatever way works best for you: writing, drawing, making music, molding, creating. Hiding your emotions and pretending that they are irrelevant is only going to hurt you. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing how you feel, that’s okay — you don’t need to show anyone what you create. What is most important is that you create in the first place.
4. Organize
I find that when I am stressing over school and all of my responsibilities, listing out what I need to do is immensely helpful. Keep a planner to write down things that you need to accomplish as soon as you learn of them. Use google calendar (or a similar program of your choice) to keep a record of your schedule that can be easily shared. Use sticky notes to prioritize what you need to do and when. The academic life can be pure chaos; striving to organize will greatly reduce how stressful that chaos is.
5. Prioritize
I am a busy person. I involve myself in everything, and often that results in me spreading myself too thin. When you are in a position in which you don’t have the time to sleep or shower (have been there, can confirm, is hell) you are only hurting yourself. I know that being a member of approximately 7,000 clubs while juggling a rigorous course load, a job, and whatever else may seem like it would make your resume irresistible. I want you to remember that there is more to life than simply looking for resume boosters. If you are overwhelmed, prioritize the things that are truly making you happy-- it is important for you to put your own sanity first and not be involved in everything.
