With school starting back again, it can feel unbearable at times to look through your schedule and see nothing but due dates and extracurricular events you absolutely cannot skip. Stress, fear and anxiety come to mind when thinking about the upcoming semester, and I know I'm not the only one. However, there are a few methods of combatting the stress of college, work, and life in general, that I think might help you out too. So here are a few ways to rid yourself of a semester full of pain, anxiety and the blues:

1. Break a sweat.

Not saying you should choose this over sleep, because sleep is what will keep you you the healthiest and happiest, but going to the gym for a quick run will ease on the stress and keep those endorphins rushing. And if you're not one to take the gym seriously, see if your university's rec center offers gym classes like Zumba. You may feel ridiculous at first, but letting loose may be exactly what you need for a mental health boost.

2. Take that nap.

Don't exhaust yourself. You have 3 assignments due by midnight tonight that you haven't started and you just pulled an all-nighter? Get some rest. Your work won't be anywhere near the quality it should be if you can't stay awake to do it. So nap and let your brain recover so you can continue to be the good student you try to be.

3. Treat Yourself.

Make goals and then reward yourself for all your hard work. Simple enough! Have a paper due? When it's turned in, go on a mini shopping spree. Have an exam? Come home afterwards and take a long, hot and well-deserved bath. Took on extra work hours to pay your bills? Reward yourself with a nice dinner from your favorite restaurant. Having this system will result in a solid mental health boost and a more efficient semester ahead.

4. Plan ahead.

It may be terrifying to look through your syllabus and see that you have a million assignments due on one day, but go ahead and do it. I promise you'll feel much better when your planner is all laid out and color coordinated (if you're like me and have a billion different things going on, highlighters and colored pens are a definite must) and you can see exactly what you have coming up next. Being reminded you have a research paper due a week before the turn in date is not how you want to go through your semester. So buy that agenda, you'll need it.

5. Go out.

Going out when you have a test the next day? Not a good idea. Blowing off some steam on a Friday night with friends before a wide-open Saturday for schoolwork? Go for it and don't feel bad about it. Sometimes you have to let loose in order to gain control of your life. Feeling cramped and stressed constantly will not help you to be successful. Chill out and enjoy yourself. This is literally the only time you'll be able to do this with your current friends. That degree is important, but you won't remember those all-nighters. What you'll remember (or not really remember) are the nights you spent out making memories with your best friends.

6. Go outside.

When you have time for a break, don't even think about reaching for Netflix. I've been blessed to go to a school has one of the most beautiful campuses (War Eagle) in the nation, as well as to live in a city that is filled with outdoor trails and grassy areas that are perfect for an afternoon stroll. If you're like me, you have the ability to go outside and see the big, bright, world that exists past the classrooms you're confined to everyday. Why not take advantage and breathe some fresh air?

7. Don't wait to get help.

This goes for anything and everything. Get your assignments done on time. If you need help organizing, buy an agenda or download a homework app that sends you notifications when you have an assignment coming up you may have forgotten about. For things non-school related, get help in those areas as well. Feeling overwhelmed? Go to your university's counseling. You don't need to crash and burn at any point in your academic career. In a recent study, it was found that there are more than 1,000 suicides on college campuses every year. Don't let yourself get anywhere near that level of anxiety. Don't feel like a failure if something isn't working. Think through what your doing and change where you need to. If you can't handle something, seriously rethink it. You life is precious and college is stressful, but don't let the stress over run your life.

8. Find the most efficient shortcut.

This does not mean cheating. Cheating will never help you in the long run. However, if you know someone with a test bank for a class that you are not prepared for whatsoever and need a helping hand with studying, take full advantage of it! If your friend knows someone that is an excellent tutor? Take full advantage of them. Figure out an easier way to do something (even if it means skipping a few steps). Do it. Find a website that teaches you better than the book or the professor? Take. Advantage. You aren't cheapening the process of working hard. Every student is different and needs help for all different kinds of things. So do yourself a favor and take that shortcut. Because sometimes the long way around may result in unnecessary failure.

9. Cry.

Seriously do it. Everyone needs a good cry every now and then. Scientifically, you need to let it all out (even if your doing pretty ok) to keep yourself healthy. Scientists say that by holding in unalleviated stress, you're more likely to have a heart attack, damage certain parts of the brain, and have higher blood pressure. So for the sake of your health, cry it out.