Let me start off with a disclaimer: I am not a professional in dealing with these types of things. All I can tell you is from what I've experienced myself. I do not have a disorder or something that requires medication; I am only speaking from what I know. Some of these tips may be helpful for you, whether you suffer from an anxiety disorder or not, or they may not be helpful for you. Everyone is different and has to find their own ways to deal with their problems. I am only writing this to share what I know based off of my own experiences so that I can hopefully help someone out there. Now, to the tips!
1. Keep a schedule.
It may seem daunting to have a list of everything you need to get done sitting right in front of you, but it can be a huge help in the long run. Schedules help you focus on what you need to get done now, so you can hopefully avoid being overwhelmed by schoolwork. Oftentimes, just writing things down and crossing them out helps you feel more accomplished and on task.
2. Plan some downtime.
If you're constantly running on empty, you'll burn out eventually! It doesn't matter if you can only manage a few minutes a day to just sit and be quiet; you'll be grateful for whatever time you can have to yourself. You can schedule this time to be with your friends, but I would suggest making that a separate event. Taking some time to just be alone and recharge can be vital for a lot of people.
3. Avoid the caffeine and sugar.
I know you don't want to hear this. but it's the truth. Living off of coffee and sugar is the worst thing you can do for your body, especially if you have a lot of anxiety or stress. You'll just be jittery, exhausted, and more anxious! Take care of yourself and try to eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water. You'll be amazed at how much better you'll feel.
4. Exercise.
This may be just as difficult to swallow as the tip about coffee. Moving around and getting rid of those jitters can do wonders for stress and anxiety. Even if you just take a few minutes to walk around, you'll be doing yourself a favor.
5. Don't procrastinate.
Whenever you're stressed about something, your first inclination is to just do it later. Maybe if you push it off, you'll be calmer later and can focus on it better...maybe. Some people can pull that off, but don't assume you're one of those people! The longer you leave it, the more you'll get stressed about it. You won't be able to really relax if you can't get it off of your mind. So, whenever you decide to have some downtime, remember to go ahead and get some work done first, so you can actually be relaxed.
These are pretty simple tips; anyone can tell you any of this. The semester doesn't have to be quite as stressful as it seems to be; you can do something about it. Your semester may not be less busy, but you'll be able to handle it better and face whatever comes your way! Good luck!
