Let's Talk About Stress

I'm not going to lie, every time I say that title, I sing it. Mostly because I've been listening to the Pitch Perfect soundtrack a lot recently and it goes perfectly with the riff-off. Anyways, we should seriously talk about stress. Because if you're in college, you're probably stressed. If you are living and breathing right now, you've probably experienced stress, are currently dealing with it, or will be in the future. It's an unfortunate part of life that we all have to deal with.



My past few weeks have been absolutely crazy between work and school, and I had a bit of a breakdown the other day. My dad called to give a pep talk, just reminding me that I had already made it through the past week, so I could definitely make it through the next few weeks as well. He made me realize how true that saying is about how you can't always change your situation but you can change your attitude. This past week I worked really hard at remaining positive and trying to handle my stress more productively, and it really does help! Granted, my schedule was still crazy, but I got through it a lot easier than I had the week before.

You have to make sure you're taking care of yourself, and managing your stress. Here are my favorite ways to manage stress:

1. Take yourself out on a date.

I tend to choose a Saturday morning and go to a Saturday matinee at the movies, then walk around the craft store and sometimes take a stroll through the local Goodwill. Just do something you love by yourself. Be on your own time schedule. It's incredibly freeing, I promise you.

2. Call a family member, loved one.

It sound really lame to call your parents or another adult in your life crying about how tough life feels, but they've all been through this. Usually many times. And they won't be upset with you for calling, they're usually just happy you've reached out. They tend to give out great advice too, and sometimes you just need to hear a voice from home.

3. Go to a therapy session.

If you're in college there's a good chance that your campus health center offers a few free therapy sessions. I know my University offers two free, and then after that they are only $15. It can be really helpful to just go in and voice your concerns to someone who is ready and prepared to listen. And I can attest to that from experience!

4. Prioritze

Make a list of what you have to do. Then grab your highlighters and start color-coding. I tend to divide all my tasks based on what needs to get done first, bust out one assignment at a time and then angrily cross something off the list once I've finished. It feels good.

5. SLEEP.

I can't stress this enough. Sleep. I will attest to the fact that I definitely don't get enough sleep. You don't need to get eight hours a night, but sometimes you just need to sleep. You'll be less angry and more productive when you get a proper amount of sleep.


So, there's a few of my tips to de-stress your life. What are some of yours favorite ways to deal with stress? I'm always looking for good ways to manage my stress!