It’s week 9 Broncos, and that means one thing: finals are quickly approaching. With multiple projects, essays and final exams in each class, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. Stress is a universal emotion, and part of our daily lives. However, it’s important to keep it under control and not let it take over your life. Here are a few tips and tricks:
Take time every day to relax:With so many things going on in our daily lives, it can be hard to find time for yourself. Even during stressful times, you should still take at least 15 minutes every day to unwind. Think about it: if you have time to check Facebook, you have time to relax. There are many different methods to clear your mind. Stress management experts recommend progressive muscle relaxation, or tensing and releasing different muscles in your body. Meditation and yoga can be helpful as well.
Find a hobby:Every student should have at least one thing that they absolutely love to do, whether that is reading, taking photos or even bungee jumping (although a safer hobby might be better.) Your hobby can help alleviate the daily stressors of life and can be your escape when your day doesn’t go as planned. If you don’t think that you have a hobby, think about what you loved to do as a child (besides playing with Play-Dough, of course.) Those pastimes can be transferred into hobbies. Even coloring books or watching Disney movies can be relaxing.
Laugh it off:Laughter is truly the best medicine. Cracking up over a great joke or even just smiling at a stranger can be strangely therapeutic. Next time you’re feeling down about mountains of school work, Youtube something funny or tell a corny knock-knock joke to a friend. My go-to movies when I want to have a good laugh is “Zoolander” or “Mean Girls.” Try not to take things so seriously. Making someone else laugh can also be helpful to alleviate stress. Try it!
Eat well/exercise:This is possibly one of the most important tips for stress management. Eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables can help you have energy throughout the entire day. In addition, exercising can be great for producing endorphins, which can help increase your mood. Staying healthy is not only good for you, it’s good for your studies by helping you focus. Also, it’s important to remember when cramming for a test that there is nothing more helpful than a good night’s sleep (and no, coffee does not equal sleep).
Keep things in perspective:When you start to get overwhelmed by school work, remember the reason why you are in college in the first place. You are working towards a degree that will help you immensely in your future. Also, finals week means you are that much closer to Spring Break. You can relax and breathe soon, this is the final stretch. You can do it!
Stress is inevitable, but it also very easy to control. There’s no reason to let stress take over your life. Follow these tips and you’ll be stress-free in no time! For more tips on student life, visit the Campus Crop at asi.csupomona.edu/campuscrop.
