We all know how crazy life can get and how stressful it can be by looking at all the things you have to do in such a short time. This can feel as though you're standing in the ocean and the waves keep hitting you, but those waves are in the form of homework, tests, bills, friendships, work, and money. At points, this can feel never-ending and it burns you out so quickly.

There have been many things I've learned in college and I believe that if there's one thing that I needed to know, it's how to plan out my life. Here, I have five simple steps that I follow almost every day to make my life a little less stressful.

1. Make time for your friends!

This is the first and foremost biggest step you need to take. These people are your lifelines and will be there to help you when you need it most and can be the relief you need from a stressful day. Even though life can get hectic and it can be easy to burn out from it, your friends will always be there to pick you up and help you keep going.

2. Make time for yourself

This is so important to do. Life gets crazy and sometimes you neglect to do things for yourself which creates more stress in your life. Taking a few minutes or hours out of your day to do basic tasks like making your bed, cleaning your room, or doing laundry makes a HUGE difference in your life.

3. Plan out your day

Find out what assignments, tests, or projects are coming up and what can be put on the back burner for a little while longer. I found that planning out my day and making sure I get everything I need to be done in a timely manner makes my stress levels go from a 10 to a 4. And no it doesn't have to be a robotic-like schedule that you follow to the minute, just a small guideline to keep you on track so you don't procrastinate.

4. Clean your room

I always hate that I have the tendency to be super messy at times. It makes coming back to my room after a long day a lot worse. All I see is a desk that isn't clean, dishes that need to be done, trash to be taken out, and laundry that needs folding. While sometimes I can ignore these and just lay in bed and watch Friends, other times it makes the desire to do all of those tasks less and less.

My suggestion, when you use something or do something take care of it ASAP. It's easy for things to build up quickly, but if you do it on the forefront, life gets so much easier.

5. Have a set sleep schedule

I don't know about you, but when I don't sleep I am a monster of a person. I found that going to bed at specific times during the night helps me to regulate my sleep and if I need to get up earlier the next day, I can adjust my sleep schedule accordingly. Sleep is one of the most important things in your life to help you function, so why deny yourself this pleasure?

Obviously, these won't work for everyone, but I found these to be steps to help me out tremendously and not only made me a better student but a better person all around.