College is hard, and not necessarily in the ways you expect it to be.
When I first set foot on campus as a freshman I braced myself for the onslaught of incomprehensible lectures, unforgiving professors and never-ending homework assignments I'd been warned about in high school. I was prepared to drown in a sea of coursework, but reality turned out to be much kinder than my expectations in that regard. Sure, there's the occasional downpour, but never the full-fledged tsunamic waves I'd dreaded.
No, schoolwork wasn't (and isn't) a primary stressor in my life, and for a short time I thought gleefully that I was going to be one of the lucky ones who make it through college unscathed. I was wrong about that, too.
The biggest obstacle I've faced at college is myself. I've had a harder time coming up with an answer for "Who am I?" than I have for any essay question that's been thrown my way. College is an identity crisis waiting to happen, and an inconveniently timed one at that. It's crucial to learn how to cope with the overwhelming stress of it all in productive, healthy ways. If college starts feeling overwhelming (which it will), refer to the following list for ways to make life just a little bit easier.
Running.
Or, if you're not into that, yoga. Or biking, or swimming, or whatever. Daily exercise releases endorphins, makes you more alert, and will add a sense of accomplishment to an otherwise unproductive day.
Establishing routines.
This is a simple enough concept, right? But it's something that requires careful planning. As a freshman, I woke up every day not knowing what would happen or where I'd be by nighttime. My life had a vaguely improvisational feel to it. It was exciting at first, but over time I began to sincerely miss having a sense of structure to my days. When I returned to school as a sophomore I went through my schedule and figured out when to go to the gym, when to do laundry, when to buy groceries, etc., and as a result my days run like clockwork. If you plan everything out ahead of time you'll be amazed at how uncluttered your daily life will become. Additionally, I find that once an activity becomes a routine, it becomes a point in my day that I can relax and zone out without having to actively think about what I'm doing.
Organization.
Yes, this means actually using your agenda planner. It means color coding, if you have to. It means making to-do lists and writing down your monthly goals. When you have all of that stuff down on paper, it frees up space in your mind for more important topics.
A comfort zone.
My home base is absolutely my bed. It's familiar--every texture, every scent, every rustle of fabric. Whenever I'm feeling extra miserable I allow myself to slip underneath my purple duvet and recharge. Honestly, just knowing that it's an option makes life a lot easier. Just be careful not to sleep too much during the day--naps are nice here and there, but once you've ruined your sleep schedule, no amount of them will revive you.
A reward system.
When I'm about to start on a particularly unimaginative essay, I'll occasionally buy myself chocolate. I dole out one piece to coax myself into starting the essay and another to congratulate myself on its completion. But a reward doesn't always have to manifest as an actual present, nor does it have to be decadent to be effective. It can be the promise of an extra hot/extra long shower after a grueling workout, a cheat day after a week of clean eating, a nap after a dull class. The key is to avoid over-indulging, because treating yourself too much will take away the value of the reward and defeat the purpose of having a reward system.
People you can count on.
You don't need a million of them. But wouldn't it be nice if you had someone to bounce ideas off of? Someone to call after a frustrating day? Someone to grab coffee with? The best part of having reliable friends/roommates/significant others is having people who'll commiserate with you when you're struggling. I always feel better when I learn that others have faced the same problems that I'm facing.
Quiet time.
It's important to spend time in seclusion every once in a while. What you do with this time is up to you, but part of becoming an adult is being unafraid to be alone. Often between classes I'll go to a quiet lounge to eat lunch and work on assignments, and it's always a very calming experience. It also allows me to reflect on recent decisions and interactions, which is an important step toward self-improvement.
Lastly:
Start your work ahead of time.
Trust me, I am the queen of procrastination when I need to be. But it's not exactly fun losing hours of precious sleep over a paper, and I've learned that from years of experience. So why not start early? Sometimes I'll just open a Word document, type out my name, and reread the instructions. Nine times out of ten I'll wind up accomplishing much more than that, just because I know I can stop at any point. When there's no pressure to get the whole thing done in one night, you won't feel nearly as fatigued as you normally would putting it off until the last minute. And nothing feels as good as having the whole thing turned in two days before the due date.
