“But it’s the end of the semester,” you tell your professors helplessly as they assign more reflections, papers and final projects that are going to take any chance of relaxation at the end of this semester away from you. It’s a bit backwards, isn’t it? They tell you the semester’s winding down, yet here they are adding more things to your to-do list. Add final exams to that list of stuff to do and it’s no wonder that you’re drowning in a sea of stress. In case that stress (and probably anxiety) is becoming too much for you, here’s some things you can do in an attempt to counteract it and keep yourself in the best condition possible.

1. Drink a glass of water.

It seems to me that we drift away from doing things that are healthy for us when we don’t feel up to anything. Whether you know it or not, drinking a glass of water could make the world of difference in how you’re feeling. If you don’t have time to physically do something, just drink a glass of water. You’d be surprised at how being dehydration can affect your mental state and performance.

2. Make sure you eat right.

A lot of people tend to “eat their emotions” when they’re stressed out. It’s a thing, I promise. It’s important that we take the time to make sure we’re putting nutrients in our bodies though, not making our body work harder than it already is. Instead of reaching for that bag of chips, grab your favorite fruit instead. I know that I’ve personally felt better about everything I have to do when I’m eating like I should.

3. Listen to your favorite song.

There’s nothing quite like listening to your favorite song on a normal day, but listening to it when you’re stressed and can’t seem to relax is a completely different kind of feeling. Take that three and a half minutes to just breathe, dance, or simply sing along to your favorite tune.

4. Pet a dog.

The university I attend recently held a “Puppies and Pinatas” event. While I didn’t see any pinatas (I didn’t stay for very long), I did get to pet a few puppies and it was so fun. There’s something about this little furry creature who’s constantly happy that just makes you want to smile and forget everything that you have to do.

5. Go for a walk.

You’ve probably heard this one a million times, but as with a lot of other things you’d be surprised at the different it makes. Our bodies love to be outdoors whether we personally like it or not. If you aren’t feeling up to completing that paper just yet, get up and go outside. Just walk around campus or down the sidewalk. By the time you get back to your room you’re either going to be ready to finish that assignment, or you’re just going to feel better.

6. Color something.

One of the things that I miss most about being a little kid is being able to color all the time. We still can though. There is nothing wrong with printing out a coloring sheet or purchasing a coloring book that you use to de-stress. It lets us put our focus somewhere else and puts us in control of something. I like to take a few minutes to just color when I’m not feeling up to something.

7. Drink some tea.

I know that not everyone likes tea, but I’ve had very good experiences with drinking it while I’m stressed. There are an abundance of teas that are made specifically for helping you relax and luckily they’re all different flavors. So even if you swear that you hate tea, you should try it if you’re drowning from your stress.

8. Take a nap.

I love naps. Naps can be a great chance for you to gain your energy back and just let go of all of the things piling on your shoulders -- at least for a little while. If you’re the kind of person who feels worse after they nap then don’t, but if naps are your "cup of tea" (see what I did there?) then take about an hour to rejuvenate yourself.

9. Ask for help.

Something that I struggle with is asking for help, but it can be a lifesaver. There are a lot of things that we can do on our own, and we know it, but when it comes down to feeling like you can’t get everything done you need to ask for help. If you don’t necessarily want help, at least find someone to talk to. It’s not good to keep things bottled up.

10. Write it out.

I’ve always thought (and been told) that it’s good to keep a journal. There are tons of prompts out there if you just want to write, but journaling is a great way to get out those feelings that you may not want to vent out to other people. Buy a notebook and just take a few minutes to jot down how you’re feeling -- you may find that you’re reading to start working again!

11. Laugh.

“Laughter is the best medicine” is one of the greatest things that I’ve ever been told. I’ve found that it’s pretty true too. If things are getting to be too much for you, go find a friend and just talk to them (and hope that a some funny jokes spring up along the way). It’s also really easy to find some funny videos online. Just take some time to find something to make you laugh and I promise you that at least in that moment things will look a little brighter.