Midterms, finals, or a heavily procrastinated essay, we've all been there. Some people handle stress through yoga, taking a relaxing bubble bath, or reading their favorite book. From the girl who thinks yoga looks painful, doesn't have a bath, and whose mom wouldn't let her bring the entire Harry Potter series to college, I have found other ways to deal with my stress when it comes to school.
1. Coloring books
I'm not kidding. I'm not exactly suggesting for you to go to the nearest Walmart and pick out a coloring book with an obscure children show theme, but find something that you actually want to color. There are adult coloring books, with themes ranging from profane to intricate designs. Now get some colored pencils, markers, or even crayons. This is my go-to stress reliever that can be done pretty much anywhere.
2. Netflix
The most basic of stress relievers, but oh, how we love it. When you've been in the library so long your brain hurts, and you start to lose your chill, log on to Netflix. Click on your favorite show or a fun new series and binge watch it until you're ready to hit the books again.
3. The weight section of the gym
Sure, the treadmill might be welcoming, but when you need to relieve some stress, the best place is the weight room. Look for the angriest playlist you can find on Spotify and go find something heavy to lift. Nothing relieves more stress than feeling like a complete bad a** (even if you're only squatting 30 pounds).
4. Face masks
If you're like me and have stress-induced acne, then these are your new best friends. Throw on a mud mask, a peel mask, or one of those weird paper masks and just chill. Let yourself completely relax for the 15 minutes it takes the goo on your face to dry, and your skin (and mental health) will be better off.
5. Snacks
Stress eating is one of my worst qualities. If you gave me the choice between an apple as a snack or an entire pizza covered in hot Cheetos, you could probably guess what I would choose. A great way I like to de-stress is to reward myself with a food I really like. If you are worried about midterms, or just have a lot to deal with, eat your favorite food. A bag of Sour Patch or burrito will put you in a much better mood to continue working hard.
It doesn't have to be an unhealthy snack either. If you love hummus and carrots or grapefruit with sugar, go ahead and eat that. Find a great study snack and bring it with you to the library to eat when you lose your chill.
6. The "after 10 PM functions"
Okay. We all know what that means. One of the first things you may find if you Google search "stress relieving" is decreasing alcohol usage. They say that the unresolved stress will just come back once the buzz wears off or it could lead to alcohol dependency or a hangover. While all of those reasons may be true, you can go out with your girls and have a great time completely sober. Dancing the night away at a mediocre frat party definitely beats stressing over homework in the library past midnight.
Study hard until the clock strikes 10 PM, then let yourself relax. An hour or two won't make or break your grade but stressing to the max might. So party it up sober-style, and if you want to drink away a little of that college stress, go right ahead. I'm not suggesting to black yourself out the night before your 8:30 AM final, but if you worked hard on an assignment or an essay, treat yourself with that Natty Light.
7. Acceptance
Everyone feels under pressure during college. It is the most stressful time of your life, but it's also going to be some of the best years of your life. If its 2 AM and you studied all day, it's okay to throw in the towel. You don't have to be 100% prepared. Mental health is more important than a few extra points. Strive for the best grades you can, while keeping in mind that you are only human. It's okay to fail a test you studied hard for, and it's okay to put assignments off until the last minute because something else came up. It's college.
So, go out and have fun and don't make school your whole life. I'm not suggesting to throw your responsibilities to the wind and fail all your classes, but I am encouraging you to consider that life-long memories with friends and fun nights are worth much more than that extra 2 percent on your midterm. So work hard, but don't forget to play hard too.
