Looking back on my life a year ago, I realize that everything has changed. I have experienced so much in just a year's span, and it feels like all the people that were in my life a year ago aren't anymore. I am surrounded by almost all new experiences and am spending most of my days on a college campus rather than in my hometown like I used to. I often get overwhelmed by how fast things are changing and how desperately I am trying to keep up with them. Throughout the changes that have happened to me in the last year, I have recognized some ways to combat the stress and make the most of each situation. Here are some tips on what to do when you find yourself trapped in all the madness.

Breathe. This may seem fairly obvious, but often, amidst all the stress, I know I would forget to take time to decompress. It is important to take time to focus on yourself, whether that be through meditation, prayer or just talking with a friend. You don't want to look back on this time and realize that you lost yourself inside all the chaos.

Be thankful for the moment. One of the things that I've learned from having everything in my life become radically changed in just a year is to take time to be thankful for what I have right now because I am aware of just how quickly those things can be taken away from me. Life doesn't stop, and people change. Appreciate everything you have at this moment because you can never be certain of how long you'll have them.

Embrace the change. It is very typical for us to get overwhelmed when things begin to change, but it is important to recognize that these periods of change are essential for our growth. Your life is unfolding whenever things begin to shift, so embrace this period of your life by recognizing what you can learn from it. The best thing that we can take out of a stressful situation is a lesson learned.

Understand what is happening. Sometimes when life got stressful, I would only focus on the negatives of the situation. However, thinking in this way inevitably led to even more stress. Take time to understand that challenges in your life are shaping you, not defining you. Although it may not seem like it, this chaos will not last forever.

Try not to lose control. Amidst all the changes, I found it hard to remember that I was still in control of my life. It is important to recognize that you have the power to choose how to react to the situations that life presents you with and that you can make any adjustments necessary along the way. Life may continue to move on, but you are in control of which way yours goes.

Don't forget to look back every now and then. Sometimes, I found it comforting to look back at everything that I had been through. While it is good to recognize that the past is the past, it's important to take a step back and look at how far you've come every once in a while. Looking at all the progress you've made in the past can motivate you to push through the difficult changes in your life now.

But overall, the most important thing that I have learned from this past year is that all the changes in my life are preparing me for what is yet to come, and I could not be more hopeful for what is still in store.