I’ve read numerous articles online about how to fight all of the stress that college students constantly struggle with -- headlines read more sleep, less partying, etc. However, I don’t want this to be like every other article you’ve ever read with the content being overflowed with statistics. Despite the fact that I believe those articles are very helpful, I would like to give those typical, almost repetitive articles a twist by telling a personal story about how changing my way of perceiving events around me changed my perception of stress.
It was a typical weekend at college. I was trying to juggle 500 million things at once—clubs, jobs, homework, study and attempting to throw in some time to actually enjoy my life without feeling like I was falling behind. However, this weekend was different because finals were approaching with final deadlines on projects building on to the already present anxiety. I was overwhelmed, to say the least, and my poor management of stress was starting to seep through the cracks. However, I was repressing the feeling as much as possible before finally deciding to go to Barnes and Noble. When I get there, I questioned whether or not I should leave because I couldn't seem to find a parking spot on a busy Saturday night until all of a sudden, the perfect spot opened up right in front of the store. I was ecstatic thinking to myself “maybe this is a sign that I should be here to relax and see a change of environment.”
While I was in the store, I relocated myself to a big comfy chair that sinks down in just the right way when you sit in it. I began feeling more relaxed because I was finally back in my element and being productive at the same time. That was when a large group of older individuals took seats all surrounding the area I am in so that we were all face each other in a circle. The one older gentlemen began talking to me about life, asking about my major and my life plans. In that instant, I could feel myself go back to one of my fondest moments growing up—Friday nights at my Mem’s house (my gram). It was the most relaxing feelings and for anyone that knows me, I was right in my comfort zone talking to new people and learning about all of their life stories. The older man and his wife were fascinating and truly quite inspiring, making me start to focus in more on the things that I want out of my life and how I need to start spending more time doing the things I love. After spending two more unexpected hours there, I finally left, feeling much more relaxed and content compared to when I first got there. And for once in a long time, I could feel my perception of stress begin to change.
As great as all of those articles with statistics and proven studies are, I feel as though it’s time for a change in pace and thought when it comes to handling stress, such as changing your perception on the issue. Meeting those individuals at Barnes and Noble truly made me step back and reflect on how I never really focus on the things that do bring me happiness, such as going to book stores, meeting my personal goals in life, etc. However in that moment, I was able to do just that, which in turn, allowed me to relieve some of that built-up stress in ways I never thought possible. Personally, I find myself dwelling on all of the stressors going on around me until the point of no return, but maybe that’s the problem.
Maybe whenever we feel all of that stress weighing down on our shoulders we need to take a step back and focus more on the things that bring us happiness in life, such as our favorite hobbies, places, memories, etc. Anything that can ground you back to a sane, content life. Within this whole experience, I’ve definitely found that the saying “when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” prove to be the best way of handling things and maybe even one of the best new ways of handling life and stress when it just seems to be all too much. After all, what's the harm in trying something new?
