College is a life-changing period in our lives. It tests our character, mental stability, and our overall self-esteem to get through the toughest of times. With all the commitments, events, academics, and things going on each day, it can be daunting for one to tackle them all. Fortunately, there are solutions and steps to help balance out your mental state. Let’s begin!
Prioritize
It’s easy to assume that everything we do is just as equally important. However, this is where the mental stress and anxiety kicks in: Consider a time where you performed one specific task, feeling that all the other tasks you needed to complete were just as equally important. If you feel like you have too much on your plate, stop and re-evaluate your priorities. For instance, if I wanted to go out with my friends one night, but also had a test the next morning, I would prioritize studying. Not that I don’t hold dear to my grades, but rather I’d feel more emotionally fulfilled if I did well on my test before meeting up with friends. In the end, the choice is yours, but be sure you consider all your options and weigh the pros and cons of each choice you make.
Breaks
Let’s be real here: no one is able to study all day, non-stop. Nor is anyone able to run an ongoing amount of errands and tasks each day without a break. For every hour that you study, take at least a 15 minute break. This will ensure that you ease your mind off of working, and that your brain will be able to process new knowledge and information acquired from studying. For me, as a full-time junior in college, I have an extremely heavy workload. The only way I am able to manage all my classes and still have mental stability is by taking numerous breaks. Go outside, read a book, talk a walk, or even exercise! These activities helps keep you fit and healthy, and gives your brain more time to process and retain learned material.
Get support
If someone has told you to suck it up and cope with stress, they obviously haven’t gone through stress itself, properly. School life can be very taxing, especially if you are studying a particularly demanding major. Reach out to some close friends, talk to your professor, or even visit your school’s counseling services. Getting help and reaching out helps you understand that everyone is going through the same problems and you do not need to feel like you’re going through this alone. If there is a particular issue you have, address the problem firsthand! In the end, there is only so much one could do to help his or her self that it builds up and gets too complicated.
Know your limits
In my personal experience, part of mental anxiety comes from the fact that you could handle everything all at once. This is an ambitious way of thinking, but provides extremely taxing results, emotionally. Make sure you are balancing time between work and life, as this will ensure that you know what you can do and can’t do. Be realistic; if you want to work full time while studying full time as a student, then that will bring a lot of mental strain to yourself. Consider creating a weekly schedule that helps divide up your work and relaxation time. For instance, I devote thursday afternoons each week to get on my bike and roll around the city. I also plan ahead to ensure that all my homework is complete before I go hang out with friends. Prioritize and know what you can do, based on your agenda.
Eat well
This is probably the most underrated tip you might have heard before, but eating well is important. It helps you stay focused, stay nourished, and attain essential nutrients that contribute to your overall well being. Limit the amount of candy and soft drinks in your diet, as that will increase the amount of sugar in your body. Eat more fruit, like bananas, apples, and grapes.
For upperclassmen in college, it may be hard sometimes to devote time to cook. Consider getting healthier options at your local cafeteria; for instance, substitute a fatty burger for a salad or more organic choices.
Stay positive
There is the notion that the happier and more optimistic a person is, the better their overall health is. Learning to find positivity in the things you do will help lighten up your mood and motivate you to take care of yourself. Avoid interacting with people who bring you down, or do not even care about your well being. Stay around positive people! Personally, a good trick to boost positivity is to persevere and get back up after falling down. I personally have gone through tough situations that tested my perseverance, but positivity helps relieve those feelings of adversity.
So these are my personal suggestions to help relieve mental strain or anxiety in your life. Most of you reading this are probably college students who may be dealing with your own personal issues. As a student myself, it’s really hard to eliminate these feelings permanently. With practice, however, life eventually becomes more tolerable and even motivating to handle. Keep calm and take care of yourself!
By: Alexander Yee, Anxiety In Teens Contributor