1. Breathe

Last year in college, I had many issues with friends that caused me so much anxiety. Any time I would be around them, I would feel like I couldn't breathe because of the anxiety it caused me. What I've learned from that is that you need to surround yourself with people that bring you up and not bring you down.

Also, I learned that you need to breathe. The best thing to do when feeling anxious is to just stop everything that you are doing and take deep breaths. This clears your head and allows your body to recalibrate and calm itself.

2. Surround yourself with real friends that support you

To continue what I was saying above, please surround yourself with real friends. Cut people out of your lives who cause you stress and discomfort. Now that I've found my real friends that I will be living with this year, I know that coming back to my apartment will not cause me any stress and it will feel like home. (Shout out to Hayley, Elle, and Samara! I love you guys!)

3. Don't take on too many commitments just to add more things to your resume

My problem is that I'm an overachiever. I like to take on so many commitments so I can put them on my resume. But that is NOT what you should do! I almost took on a job that I would have to work over 20 hours a week and be in school full-time and be in clubs and be a research assistant and work on an independent research project and...

The moral of the story is to take on commitments that you can be fully committed to and that you actually enjoy. Doing clubs and activities that you enjoy will not cause you stress, so join that hiking club or write for the school newspaper (even if it is not directly related to your major.)

4. Talk to a counselor

Sometimes you can't handle stress on your own. To help me handle my stress caused by OCD and anxiety, I began to talk to a therapist about three years ago. There is still a stigma with talking to a therapist, but I believe that the more open we are about our problems, the less the stigma will be there. If you are having a difficult time coping with the stress from school, talk to the counselors on campus. Many of my friends do this and it has worked wonders. A therapist will help you create a plan to handle your stress and other issues in your life.

5. Have fun!

You are not going to remember the nights in college that you were studying. So please, don't drive yourself crazy by over-studying. If you have studied for hours on end, you are DONE. Go out with your friends or even stay in for a fun girls night. I just want you to have fun! College is supposed to be the best time of your life. Don't stress over the little things in life because in the grand scheme of things they are meaningless. I wish for all of you to have the best times in your life now in college and in your futures, so remember this: "It's not the load that carries you down. It's the way you carry it."