For some people, life is easy right now. They may be taking four or five classes and get to spend the rest of their precious days taking naps after classes, with only a few hours of homework and a few hours to binge watch their favorite Netflix series. For the rest of us, hell has broken loose, and it's only September. If you're anything like me, I thought it would be a smart idea to take 15 hours of classes along with THREE internships. Because of this, my "study breaks" usually consist of doing other assignments for classes or for one of my other internships.
For people like me, Red Bulls and espresso shots have become our best friends and a meal replacement since there's barely any time for us to eat or sleep. Life can definitely hit you with a metal baseball bat, but I've found a few things that have helped me de-stress through the long, grueling blood, sweat and MANY tears of college.
1. Puzzle Games
Any type of puzzle game can help you reduce your high-stress level. My game of choice is Candy Crush because seeing the candy disappear makes me believe my anxiety and stress is going away with it. Bejeweled, Mahjong, and word searches work as well!
2. Coloring
I know it may seem silly, but coloring helps reduce your stress levels. If you want to revert back to your days as a toddler, grab an adult coloring book, some colored pencils and go to town!
3. Meditating
Meditating helps you to clear your head and relax. If you don't know how to meditate, there are plenty of apps that will help guide you. Popular meditation apps include Calm and Headspace, and these apps will coach you through different meditation sessions for stress, anxiety, sleep, and relaxation.
4. Video Games
These reduce your stress level because you're simply just living in a different world for a little while. Any type of simulation game where you play a different character helps you forget about the stresses in your own life.
5. Work out
Working out to deal with your anxieties can be used to bring down your stress hormones. The workouts help to restore your mind to a calmer and more relaxed state.
6. Talking to someone
Just talking to someone can really be helpful when dealing with stress. The conversations can help distract you from what is going on or can help release the built-up tensions you have. Make sure when doing this, you are talking with someone you trust, whether it be a family member, friend, significant other, or professional.
7. Get some sleep
If you're feeling stressed out, you may not be getting enough sleep. It may a challenge to find more time to sleep because ya know... college, but if you have a few minutes/hours to spare, take a nap. I promise you'll feel a lot better after you wake up.
If you follow any of this advice, you will decrease your stress levels significantly, and keep your sanity!
