I know that college is difficult. I am living in that same stressed inducing environment myself. I know that regardless of whether you're a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior, you are probably swimming in things like coursework, athletics, internships, campus activities. I know that you are probably trying to balance your study time with your social life, and it can be a hard task to manage. You might even have a job, and/or a family of your own, as well as handling school responsibilities. Whatever your struggles may be, there are some ways to help you manage the stress that college can bring and avoid the psychological and physical problems that stress can contribute to.
Stress has been linked to many physical health problems,like headaches, fatigue, issues with the immune system, and heart problems. That's right, being too stressed out is actually really bad for your health. However, many of these problems can be avoided. Doing something to relieve stress can help prevent these problems, or even help conquer these problems if they already exist. Here are a few ideas on how to reduce college stress.
Try yoga.
I know. You've probably heard a lot about yoga, because it's so popular these days. You might already have formed an opinion about yoga, whether or not you've actually tried it. You may hate it because it's so mainstream or love it because it's so relaxing. Regardless, it's worth a try, if you've never tried it before. What is the worst that could happen? You never know, you may find yourself relieved and relaxed (and toned!) This website shows some yoga poses for beginners to try.
Meditate.
Breath in, breath out. Meditation can help you peacefully reflect on your life, and even help you relax. Meditation can be useful for helping you unwind before bed, or greet a morning with positivity. You can find useful instructional videos about how to meditate all over the internet. This one is good for beginners.
Keep a journal.
Keeping a journal can be a good physical aid for letting go of the negative thoughts and feelings caused by the things that stress you out. Write down the things that happened during your day, then imagine that once they're written down they can no longer bother you. Destroy the page if you must, as a symbol of destroying your negative feelings.
Get some exercise.
Get those endorphins flowing in a safe and controlled way. Go for a run, play basketball, or do some sit-ups. Whatever form of exercise you pick, use it to relieve your stress. Focus your attention on your work out, not what is going on outside of it. Think of the future, you're not only distressing you're also becoming more fit.
Make time for what you like.
Disconnect from everything that's bothering you. If that means unplugging your phone or computer, so be it. Do something that you enjoy, and that takes your mind off of your stress. Watch a movie. Hang out with your friends. Take a bubble bath. Make something. Whatever you find fulfilling and distracting, give it a try.
Whatever you choose to do, make sure to remember to destress from what college hands you. Don't let yourself become so stressed out that you become burnt out, and you can no longer function. Allow yourself to make time for activities that help you relieve that stress. And remember, you can do whatever you set your mind to.
