The semester is in full swing and you know what that means...'Tis the season for stress! If you're anything like me you like to pretend you have everything under control. That is, until the dreadful moment when you realize you don't have everything under control. Here are some ways that I try to cope with stress.

1. Exercise

Everybody pretty much knows this one. Exercising releases happy endorphins so you will hopefully leave your workout feeling less stressed and with an "I can do anything" attitude. Even better if you can get outside and workout. Even if its just a walk around the block.

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2. Seek Out Positive Affirmations

It's easy to get down on yourself when you've saved fifty math problems for the night before their due. But you're human and it's okay. Head over to Pinterest and search for some good quotes to make you feel better. This always does the trick for me.

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3. Have a Dance Party

It's two in the morning and you are running on about four hours of sleep but you still have three pages of your essay to write. What is the obvious course of action here? Have a dance party. Put on your favorite get-shit-done song and dance it out.

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4. Get Outside

Fresh air can work wonders for the brain. Whether it's going for a walk around the block or simply drinking your coffee outside this morning. Speaking of coffee...

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5. Drink Coffee

I don't know if this is actually a good way to decrease stress but it always makes me feel like I have a better grip on my life.

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6. Cook

Sometimes taking time away from a school project and focusing on another more fun project can be really good for the brain. Consult a Tasty video and get cooking! Now you are refreshed and have a snack!

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7. Netflix

Most people will tell you that avoiding Netflix is the best thing to do when you need to get work down. However, if you have been slaving away for hours and hours and desperately need a break, a mindless TV episode might be exactly what you need. Besides, watching Christina Yang save lives always motivates me to do better.

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8. Change up your diet

Surrendering to fast food can be really easy when you have a million things on your to-do list and no time to make actual food. But fast food can make you feel worse that you already do and that may just add to your stress. Make eating fresh foods a priority.

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9. Take a bath

Put on your favorite calming music, light a few candles, throw a bath bomb in there and you have yourself a perfect de-stressing elixir.

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10. Get Sh*t Done

Procrastinating is the biggest source of stress. And we are all guilty of it. Buy a planner, figure out when you have time to check things off of your to-do list and do it. It's simple: If you don't have anything to stress about, you won't be stressed.

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