If there's one thing that never had much of an effect on me in high school, it would be stress. It takes a lot to stress me out, but college has changed things for me. I've been stressed to the max! This week I have three test and two papers due, pretty typical week for a college student so I'm sure you can relate. My problem is that I occupy my mind with something besides school work so I won't be caught up in stress, then that leads to procrastination, which I've always struggled with, then I'm even more stressed out than I was before.

Realizing why you get stressed is the first step to handling your stress. When you evaluate yourself you can pinpoint the root of where your stress is coming from. When you can do that, you can start preventing stress. So if you're like me, you need to quit looking for distractions, sit down, and finish your work. Easier said than done, right? It's all about training your mind to form good habits. It will take time, but it's so worth it. When you get an assignment finish it that day. It will definitely relieve some of that stress and free up some time for later. Don't forget there's always the option to work ahead. This may affect your social life for the next two weeks, but it's well worth it. This takes a lot of time and effort but it is very possible. Set a couple hours aside each day to work on getting ahead in your classes.

Learn to say no. Saying no can be super difficult to do, especially if your friends are begging you to hang out but you have a load of homework you have to get done. Keep in mind opportunities to hang out with friends will come again but schoolwork is your number one priority. If you just knock it out then you won't have to worry about it later.

Be cautious of distractions. I know Thursday nights are dedicated to Grey's Anatomy lovers, but prioritize your time and get your work done beforehand! It is a nice thought to say you need background noise and so you turn to The Office or the Drake radio station on Spotify and attempt to do your work, but I have never met anyone who was successful at this. If your thoughts are distracting and it's hard to focus try putting on some jazz music, I found it to be very helpful this past week.

Take a break, however, that may be. Dancing, yoga, or any type of exercise. Keep your body active and keep the blood flowing. It's important to put time aside to take care of yourself, give your mind a breather, as well as staying productive.

De-stress yourself and keep your study environment clean. Don't work in a cluttered space, it's distracting and overwhelming. Always try to pick up before you begin working on stuff. Take time to de-stress yourself. My routine consists of jumping in the shower, putting on comfortable clothes, making a hot cup of tea, turning on my humidifier with lavender oil, and putting on some jazz. On top of making sure my study area is clean, I am all set to work on my studies.

Remember, stress is only temporary and you can prevent it! It can be difficult but so worth it. If you learn how to handle stress, college will be a whole lot easier for you.