Wake up.
Class.
Homework.
Study.
Miscellaneous activities.
Repeat.
I present the circle of collegiate life. This is a cycle we all know too well. The coffee-fueled confusion centered around the questions “When is the next exam?” and “How many hours of sleep will I actually get tonight?” among others. Before I started college, I distinctly remember my cousin saying “It’s a triad and you pick two: study, socialize, or sleep.” This begs the question, what are we actually doing? Then we contemplate moving back in with mom, or joining a motorcycle gang and riding off into a Harley Davidson-themed sunset.
You see, we’re all so zoned into the moment—life is happening so quickly. I look up from a four-hour study session to a black window, and it’s already tomorrow. So, how do we stop drowning (or sinking, if you’re complacent like me) in tidal waves of work and general chaos?
I present five surefire ways to breathe again:
1. Understand that Suffering is Temporary
Take time to zoom out. Realize that whatever crap you’re going through is fleeting. Humans have very little control over time, and nothing will make it stop or slow down. Whether this relaxes or terrifies you, it’s a verity of life.
2. Surround Yourself with Good People
If you are consistently choosing to be around people that make you want to crawl into your closet and scream at coat hangers for six hours, you’re adding a lot more stress to your life than there needs to be. Isn’t college difficult enough? Surround yourself with people who you enjoy being yourself around.
3. Keep your Hobbies Alive
For too many students, college is where fun comes to die. The things you once enjoyed are swept up by the whirlwind of “more important things." Though prioritizing is key with extracurricular hobbies, they are critical to your mental health and well-being. Make enjoying yourself a priority, and make sure it exists on your “to do” list at least once a week. Our hobbies make us individuals, and what could be more important than that?
4. Sweat it Out
Extensive research proves that taking the time to improve your physical health, even when you feel like your mental health is completely failing, can make you a much happier and healthier person. Exercise releases endorphins, endorphins help block the pain of life. So, even if life sucks and you literally cannot even, go run a few miles. You'll feel better.
5. Laugh
Laugh often, and at anything and everything. If you can remember how weird life is in general (as my good friend says, we’re all just on a big floating rock in space), you can remember to loosen up. Life is dumb, and it’s okay to act silly sometimes, even if someone else is watching.
