Dear Fellow College Student:

This time of year is a nightmare, isn't it?

I don't know the specifics of your current situation, but I'd be willing to bet that you have at least one paper deadline that's getting too close for comfort, that you either just took or are about to take a test that you think might put your final grade in jeopardy, and that you will have at least two nights this week where you get fewer than six and a half hours of sleep. I'm right there with you, friend. Life is crazy.

I've found something that helps tremendously, though.

This year I finally took the plunge and agreed to play intramural field hockey. I'm in class until almost dinnertime, so I only got to stay for a full practice one time, but every minute on the field was a minute of freedom from stress. It was incredible.

I can't promise, of course, that your college or university will offer a month of intramural field hockey every year and provide you with equipment to learn to play or that you'll be able to play team sports in college at all, but I do know that there is some form of outdoor physical activity into which you can throw yourself from time to time, and even though it demands time and energy, I think it will help the rest of this crazy semester seem more manageable.

Before we talk about benefits, though: yes, you probably do have time. For two years, I was the student who said she would love to play hockey but absolutely couldn't because her schedule was just too crazy. No one argued with me at the time. I have not had a semester with fewer than 18 credit hours since I got here, and I also ride on the college equestrian team, so yes, my days seemed full. That being said, every time I look back on those days it becomes clearer and clearer that I could have played and should have. No matter what we say, most of us do have some free time somewhere. If we didn't, how would we find time to post on Facebook about the stresses of college? By committing to a sport, you're not claiming time that doesn't exist. You're taking time you probably spend on the Internet and rededicating it to something that will build your physical strength, calm your nerves, and still provide a rest from studying.

Actually, this kind of rest is often better. Take a moment to step aside and imagine this scene: you are lying on top of your covers, possibly with textbooks open nearby, scrolling on your phone. Time is slipping by, but you don't have the energy or resolve to to back to studying just yet, so you're electing to continue scrolling through Facebook. What are you seeing?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you reading about students not having energy or resolve in college? Think about it. The majority of your Facebook news feed often consists of students complaining about the same problems you're facing as you procrastinate among the wreckage of your biology or literature or history notes, and while it feels nice sometimes to know that you aren't alone, you're perpetuating the problem by living in it. When you go outside and run and kick and swing and jump and throw, you actually take your mind off of studying. Instead of trying to escape your problems by dwelling on them, you leave them behind you, breathe deeply, and remind yourself that there is a world beyond textbooks and deadlines.

Now think about what you're doing when you commit to a sport. What exactly makes college so frustrating? If you're anything like me, it's this: no matter how much you get done, there's always more coming, and nothing you do can stop it. The metaphor is a tired one, but it really is as if we're on a treadmill. We work and work, but until graduation it's as though nothing has really been accomplished. We haven't gone anywhere. Here is the second benefit of starting a sport: you are constantly aware of your progress. On day one, you successfully got out of your room and did something healthy. Congratulations! On day two, you were a little more accurate with your passes. Congratulations!--and the cycle continues. It's euphoric.

Finally, think about what I call the phone-light dilemma. It's one o'clock in the morning, and you decide to give in and crawl into bed. Your eyelids hurt, your brain is barely cooperating, and you want nothing more than to fall asleep in moments. When you do curl up under the covers, though, something phenomenal happens: an hour passes before you realize you're still on your phone. Somehow you've managed to let an entire hour of sleep slip from your fingers, and you'll never get it back. It wasn't even an hour spent doing something productive.

This is one possible solution, and I hope you'll give it a shot. When you need a study break, friend, put your phone on silent, put away your textbooks, put on your sneakers, and go outside. Run around. Throw a frisbee. Learn how to do a cartwheel. Kick a soccer ball. Throw a basketball, even if you miss the hoop every time. When you get back to your room, take a shower and put on clean clothes. Sit up straight at your desk--you're an athlete. Notice that your mind is less tired now that your body has taken over for a while. And when you finish your homework and get in bed, put your phone out of reach. I can almost promise that sleep will be in easy reach.