College Stress-Busting Tips

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by: edwardrogers
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Word Count: 601
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 Time: 11:40 PM

College can be a very stressful time. You are living away from home, often for the first time and often with someone you didn’t choose, in a community situation where you are constantly surrounded by other people. There is pressure to work hard, look good, make friends and, most of all to succeed. Many people find the pressures of college overwhelming. They end up dropping out, and often they live to regret this choice, sometimes for the rest of their lives. If you find yourself feeling stressed out, here are a few tips to keep your sanity and stay in school:
1. Duh… exercise. It’s a clich for a reason. Exercise is the most sure-fire way to beat stress. Even a lively walk several times a week will help enormously. But if you can find a stationary bike to ride or someone to shoot hoops with, even better. It’s a fact: the more you exercise, the better you will feel. You will find your stress level abates and you will sleep more soundly, too.
2. Gather a study group. If you’re stressed about one of your courses, form a study group to zero in on that class. Get four or five of your fellow students together and go over the material weekly. You will be amazed at how much more salient the most puzzling problem becomes when you have other input. And don’t sell yourself short: You have things to offer them, things they didn’t understand from the lecture or the text that made perfect sense to you.
3. Eat well. If you are on meal plan, pick your foods carefully. Make sure you eat plenty of vegetables (especially leafy greens), protein, and complex carbs (brown rice, bran, oatmeal). Buy yourself a good nutrition book if you don’t know which foods are healthiest for you. If you live off campus, take the time to cook simple meals like rice and beans, grilled cheese sandwiches, pasta and vegetables, salad. Once a week, cook something a bit more involved that you can keep in the fridge and heat up all week-a casserole or a soup, perhaps. Try not to each too much sugar. And don’t let yourself get too hungry; hunger can look a lot like stress and make you feel crazy and overwhelmed. Eating well, on the other hand, will go a long way toward helping you feel centered and efficient.
4. Ask for help. If you are having trouble with a course, if your course load is overwhelming, or if you find you feel anxious and nervous much of the time, seek help from your advisor. Don’t try and go it alone if you don’t feel right. You (and maybe your family) are paying plenty of money for college; you want to have a positive experience. Your advisor will have suggestions, maybe that you drop a course and add something different, or take fewer credits. If speaking with your advisor doesn’t lessen your stress level, consult a counselor or therapist.
5. Go have some fun. Remember college is supposed to be a highpoint in your life. Make sure you get out with your friends. Go to the movies or see a concert. Have some friends over for chips and soda. Go on a date if there’s someone who appeals to you. A sure antidote to feeling stressed out about your schoolwork is to hang out with friends. And don’t be afraid to talk about stress. You’d be amazed how many other people are feeling the same thing.