Stress: something we can all admit to suffering from day-in-and-day-out. Scientifically speaking, when stress suddenly takes over, it causes the release of cortisol. Although short-term stress is not as detrimental as long-term stress, continuous stress and elevated cortisol levels can cause an increase in blood sugar levels, which can eventually lead to weight gain and obesity.

As a college freshman, schooling at this level is drastically different than that of high school. In high school, remaining calm and composed was a breeze. Although homework every night was somewhat of a struggle, nothing compares to the hidden obstacles that college puts in your way. It’s crazy to hear my professor tell us that the only homework we have is mastering the appendicular skeleton and nothing else! Sounds simple, right?

Well, what the professor doesn’t tell you is how to plan your approach. The quiz date is in a week and you say to yourself, “Hey, I’ve got a lot of time! Let’s go out and have fun." This mindset begins to set in and soon enough, you're procrastinating. It is so easy to procrastinate that I catch myself doing it almost every day. You can think of it as the devil on your shoulder. But if you are aware of it, you should be fine. We all need a break in-between doing work but, there’s a difference between taking a break and procrastinating.

The days roll on by and the weekend finally comes. You probably studied for a good amount of time but, let’s be honest, have you mastered what you need for the quiz? Most likely not. Look, you probably know where this story is going, so let’s cut to the chase.

An ideal work week should entail Sunday to Friday without any no fooling around. I adapted this mindset from my uncle and coming into college, I can undoubtedly attest to its effectiveness. Save the partying for Saturday, so you can wake up and know that you are set for next week, given that you took care of what needed to be done. Then you can wake up on Sunday, feel crappy, and recover. By Sunday evening, you should be right back to work.

This is the secret to remaining calm and composed. By balancing your work with fun, you should feel like you're living the time of your life. You went to college for one reason, and that reason is to earn a degree to succeed in life. Don’t put you or your parents’ money to waste; that would be complete and utter travesty.