Tips For Relieving Stress In College

Written By Lewis Robinson / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

College is stressful. There's no doubt about it. Taking multiple classes that all require hours of attention during the week is enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed. That's why so many college students experience side effects of extreme stress such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, or poor physical health.

If you're facing the stress of an undergraduate or graduate degree and want to find a few ways to relax, check out these helpful tips for preserving your peace while in school.

Mindfulness

Looming due dates, hefty assignments, student loans and tuition payments can all weigh on the back of your mind every day. To combat these dark clouds, you could try using mindfulness techniques to keep calm and find some happiness every day.

This might be short-guided meditation sessions, starting a gratitude journal or deciding to find the bright side in every situation.

Remembering that you can choose your mood can go a long way toward preventing stress from building up. If you decide each day will be great and you'll accomplish your goals, then you'll likely feel energized and ready to tackle each one with a smile. Wake up every day and choose to be happy, and before you know it, it'll be automatic.

Exercise

This is usually the first activity that gets cut when someone's schedule starts to fill up. Especially in college, it might seem impossible to fit even 30 minutes of exercise into your day. It's important to make some form of exercise whether it's walking, running, lifting weights, or yoga - a priority in your day.

Exercise releases happy chemicals into your brain that can boost your energy and your optimism. When you work out, things like serotonin and dopamine are released into your body to make you feel happy and fulfilled.

It's also a great way to designate time for yourself to get out of your head and not allow yourself to worry about assignments and deadlines. Even just the mental break can work wonders for eliminating stress.

Spa Day

Few college kids can afford a professional spa day but curating one at home is often much more in reach. Take a trip with friends to the bath and body store in your town and gather up things like essential oils, calming lotions, face masks and maybe even a foot bath if you'd like. Take a day to pamper yourself at home with all of these calming items.

You might opt for a luxurious bubble bath or relaxing shower with an essential oil steamer. Give yourself permission to be relaxed and unwind for a whole day before resuming your usual grind.

Creative Outlets

You might think you have no energy left after attending classes and completing homework but doing something creative that you enjoy can be a big boost to morale. You don't have to make a business out of your hobby; you can just do it for you.

Think of some creative things you enjoy doing and try to find time during the week or on the weekends to do just that.

You could start baking cupcakes for friends, cooking for your family or learning an instrument to play in your dorm room. Whatever activity forces you to focus on something constructive and forget about your stress can be beneficial. 

Unplug

Odds are you spend most of your day looking at a screen. You'd be amazed to see how restorative it can be to simply put your screens away and enjoy the silence for a while.

Take a walk outside without your phone or put your laptop away for the evening. Try to find at least 30 minutes a day when you step away from your devices and just enjoy being you.

College can be a stressful few years. These techniques can help you unwind, relax and become the master of your own stress as you focus on positivity, mental health and creative outlets.

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Written By:

Lewis Robinson is a freelance writer and expert in health and fitness. When he isn’t writing he can usually be found reading a good book or hitting the gym.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

Photo by Eliott Reyna on Unsplash