Hi guys! I'm Penny De La Cruz, and life is stressful. This is coming from someone who is stressed out a lot. And by a lot, I mean almost always.

I am constantly stressed out for a huge number of reasons. I constantly try to do too many things and stretch myself too thin. I'm a college student (yeah, enough said), and I have an anxiety disorder. While this all might seem like a lot, I know I'm not the only person who deals with the same reasons that I get stressed. Everyone has days where they have everything to get done and not enough time. Everyone has exams and projects that all happen to be due on the same day, and there are a lot of people like me who struggle with anxiety.

So whats the big deal, right? So what? Everyone gets stressed. That's just kind of life.

Well, with stress comes sadness, worry, anger, and maybe even a new negative outlook on yourself (which is SUPER not good). So while it might be life, it isn't a part of life that we need to just dismiss. Stress and any other negative emotions are things that we should be constantly combating so that we don't freak out, freeze up, and become unproductive or self-hating.

Here are some of my easiest tips and tricks to calm down when you're feeling down about yourself:

1. Take a break and breathe

This might be the easiest thing to do, but if you are ever stressed while you're doing anything, I suggest that you take a break and just breathe for a little bit. Stress and nerves can impact your performance. Even if you have to take a ten-second break, it's still a good thing. Take a little bit and clear your head before you continue.

2. Drink water (and stay away from coffee)

Water, as we all know, is the single best thing you can drink at all times. Water, flavored water, or leaf water (more commonly known as tea) all serve the same purpose: To make you feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally. While coffee can wake you up, it can make you super jittery. If you're already feeling stressed and anxious, that can be really not good for you.

3. Clean your room

Hear me out on this one. Our environment has a pretty big impact on our mood. If your space is cluttered and full of nonsense, then your head will be cluttered and full of nonsense. Cleaning your room with also give you a chance to take your mind off of what you're doing and to give yourself a break while still being productive.

4. Take a shower... Or two

If you've been sitting stationary for hours at a time, you probably feel gross and tired. The easiest way to solve both problems is to take a shower. A shower will wake you up and get you clean. You can sit in the shower as long as you want, take more than one shower, or do whatever it takes to clear and clean your head. You'll come out fresh, awake, and ready to go.

5. Junk-free snacking

You need to eat while you're working. Allow me to say this again: You NEED to eat while you're working. You can lose time while you're working and end up going too long without fueling your body. That being said, when you snack, you might have a habit of nomming on some greasy chips or candy. I suggest that if you snack, snack on fruit, veggies, cheese, or granola.

6. Get some exercise

Whether or not you're a gym buff, a yogi, or you sometimes go to Zumba classes, getting up and moving is a good and healthy thing to do. It helps if you ever feel like you've been sitting too long or if you just feel stressed. Working out can help you get your mind off of whatever has you stressing out and it's been proven to make you feel better mentally, along with physically.

7. Go to bed

Listen, we all have thought that we need to stay up and do whatever we need to do, but it won't work. If you've been studying for five hours, and it's almost 1 a.m., then staying up for five more hours won't help you. If you're struggling to comprehend things during a late night study session, you need to go to sleep and give your brain a chance to rest. Trust me, you'll feel better - and work better - when you wake up.