Are you nervous about college? Are you sad about moving away from your family and friends? Nervous about adjusting to your new schedule? Personally, I am afraid of the new level of freedom and independence I’m going to experience. So how do we reduce these stresses and worries going on in our mind?
How can we stop stressing? One way you can relax your mind is by spending time with family and friends. Live in the moment, make memories and keep in touch with the people around you that give you joy. We tend to worry so much about the future and the past that we end up missing the present and everything going on right now in front of us.
Another way you can release stress is simply with self care. Sometimes we get so busy and so caught up with things that we forget to take care of ourselves. It can be something so simple like getting a good night’s rest so that you are energized for the next day. A lot of students neglect going to sleep at a good time and go about the day like a soulless zombie. A good tip is to eat healthily throughout the day. Eating is energy for the brain and for you! Eating also can prevent you from being easily annoyed or angry with negative energy, which is known as being hangry. Eating can easily help you get into better moods.
I also advise to not overload yourself with work. You as an individual know what you can handle and it is good to have high expectations. However, as a society, we can also focus on healthy expectations. Having time for yourself so that your schedule isn’t ALL about work will help you keep your mental health sane. In your spare time you can still do productive things such as exercise, mediate, reorganize, deep clean, eat, go for a walk or drive to clear your mind. Some ways to make being productive fun are by studying with your friends, giving yourself prizes for motivation and setting goals for yourself that you would enjoy. Together, we can get rid of procrastination.
A stress reliever that comes to mind is simply having someone to talk to or someone you can vent to about your stresses, distractions or problems. It’s nice to let everything out. What if you’re not a people person you stay more to yourself? You can have this same refreshing feeling by writing everything down. There are also guidance counselors that you can talk to who guide you in ways you can decrease stress. Staying motivated can be hard. Some advice I would give is to remember why you are here, review the goals you had set coming into this, don’t lose sight of your purpose and don’t give up on your passions.
Finally, just breathe. Remember that you’re allowed to have fun while working hard and try not to lose sight of yourself. College is your experience to have and I hope the Seniors going to college have a very successful path. I hope these simple everyday tips help anyone who is dealing with stress or is worrying about college and the changes and these big transitions. It can be a lot but we can do it!