--Original published at The Core Techs

If you are a current college student like me, you must know how stressful it is to be working full-time. We have long days, short nights, and weekends that definitely do not seem like they last at least 48 hours. We are constantly studying and doing school work, whether it is in the library, in a dorm, or in the cafe. Actually, students like us basically study anytime anywhere. There really is no “break.” Alongside athletics and other club events too, things just seem to pile up a mile high. So no matter who you are, we all know you are not invisible, and as a full-time college student, stress is inevitable.

As for myself, I am constantly getting involved in things. I am a field hockey player on the college team, a member of the Student Occupational Therapy Association and other clubs, and usually highly involved in things around campus. I always have my nose in something because otherwise, I will get bored. Although this is true, I still need to find time to relax, and with everything I want to be a part of, it just seems like there is no time to sit back and chill. With everything I do, I have definitely had to learn to cope with my stress. Here are a few things I do:

1. TALK
   • I cannot express how important this is. Having someone just to sit down and talk to makes a world of a difference. Talk about your day. Talk about your homework or classes. Talk about what is bothering you. Literally, talk about anything. Talking is so essential – it’s our nature as humans. People always need other people, so communication has always been a huge part of our species. One thing I have learned over the years from struggling with depression is that if you choose to bottle things up instead of talking to other people, you will eventually crack and everything is going to spill. Find someone you trust – I know it can be hard, but the world is not as terrible as you think it might be.
2. RUN/DANCE/BE ACTIVE
   • As a current college athlete, I have found a passion of mine to be in exercising. I love to run, weight lift, or simply be active. When I run, I put my earbuds in, jam out, and lose the outside world. I don’t have to think about anything. It’s so simple; just breathe. Run off your anger and your problems. If you’re not much of a runner, try weight lifting! I really love this activity, and I try to do it every day. It allows me to really take out my stress or anger by channeling all my power into the machine. Not only will this help you calm down afterward because all your build-up has been released, but it is also really good for your body! If these activities are not quite your style, try something like Zumba or Pound! In both of these activities, I really feel the beat and the rhythm. I know I’m absolutely horrible at dancing, and when it comes to hitting sticks (if you are confused, I am referring to Pound), I am surprisingly uncoordinated. Everyone there is in a big group, and honestly, no one cares how you look. It is so much fun and I cannot help but smile as my friends and I look ridiculous together or even if I look ridiculous on my own. Even still, if these activities seem too extreme, yoga is always a go-to. It is simple, relaxing, and peaceful. You focus on breathing and your poses and that’s it. It is completely unique and completely you. Even if you don’t want to try yoga, stretching, in general, is a great alternative.
3. DIY
   • Okay Pinterest lovers, this one is for you. I love to be creative; I’m actually pursuing a minor in Studio Art! Drawing and painting are one of my all-time favorite things to do. I love letting my creative expressions out. It’s very calming, and if I put on music, I can jam out while painting too. If you’re not much of a painter, try coloring books for adults! You know what I’m talking about… Those mandala books with the super cool designs?! They are so convenient and great. I actually got my grandma one with some colored pencils, and before she recently passed away, that was her thing. She loved to color for hours on end. She was lonely and living by herself towards the end of her years, and these coloring books really brought her joy and gave her something to do. If you still don’t feel like drawing and such, try some do-it-yourself! On Pinterest, there is a whole other world of things to do. You can make string art, book crafts, stress bottles, and more. Seriously – if you haven’t been on Pinterest yet, even if you’re a dude, check it out RIGHT NOW!!
4. ORGANIZE
   • I am a stickler for being organized. I have things in my backpack ordered from front to back, my pens and pencils grouped together with rubber bands, my shirts ordered in my closet by style, and even my socks and underwear separated by a cubby-style organizer in my drawer. Okay, TMI, but seriously, organizing lets me feel clean and relaxed. My roommate and I have a very clean room with things put in certain places. Neither of us has OCD, it is just something we enjoy doing. Having a clean and organized environment is really good for your brain too. It allows us to clear out clutter and access things easily. If you like being scatter-brained, hey, that’s fine! Reorganizing or going through my stuff is just one other thing that helps me personally destress.
5. MEDITATE
   • I love to meditate. When I actually have time, that is… I would really love to do it more than I actually do. Although this is true, meditation is nothing to be afraid of. It is actually quite simple once you get the hang of it. The way I started meditating was through an app. There are plenty of free apps out there to assist you. If you don’t want to download anything, maybe try to find a meditation program at your college or in your community. I know my college has plenty of programs to help kids relax and unwind. There is a lot to learn from meditation, so I highly recommend you try it!
6. SMILE
   • Alright, this might be a little cheesy, but if you force yourself to smile, things actually get a little brighter. You must be thinking, No way, B. You’re insane. But seriously, try it! Having a bad day? Force yourself to smile. Feeling sad about something? Force yourself to smile. Angry at the world? FORCE YOURSELF TO SMILE! I know the idea seems awkward, but it really does work. I read it somewhere online, and since then, I use it as a last resort. It seems to work for me! I’m not really sure how it works for everyone, but I know for me personally, it is just the fact that I’m forcing myself to smile and that seems incredibly stupid and ridiculous. I look like an idiot and then I laugh about it. It is kind of similar to trying to laugh without smiling – you should try that too.

Not all of these things will give you a perfect life, but if you try and try again, I can guarantee you will feel a little better. Stress hits everyone differently, and there are always new methods to try for coping. Never give up and never stop looking for solutions. I can promise you that eventually, something will come up.

How do you manage your stress, Core Techs?

-B

Stress Management – Recycled Art; 2017 Portfolio

--Original published at Melissa's Blog

Stress in college is inevitable. Students must balance loads of assignments, extracurricular activities, such as sports and clubs, a social life with friends, family events and obstacles, and healthy sleeping, eating, and exercise habits. College students’ stress levels are through the roof. My current stress management strategies are not very effective because I always feel stressed and overwhelmed. I usually don’t have time to relax or socialize because I have so many academic responsibilities. The rare occasions when I spare myself some free time, I enjoy being with my friends, talking and laughing with them, working out at the gym, Facetiming with family, watching TV, coloring, and one of my friends has been trying to teach me to crochet because she finds it relaxing and rewarding. I would love to spend more time doing these leisure activities, but my busy schedule infrequently allows it. When I get ahead on my assignments, which seldom happens, and partake in the activities I enjoy, they work great because I am much more relaxed. Currently, however, when I do these activities because I need a break, I often feel guilty and not productive because I could have done more work instead. I think I need to start incorporating one or two hours of free-time in my schedule because it will relieve my stress. I must stop badgering myself for taking a break because I do need it. I think I will be more willing to participate in these relaxing activities if I get ahead on my assignments. Until then, I will try to give myself an hour or two a day to relax, without feeling guilty. I think all college students need to manage their stress levels, so it does not interfere with their physical, emotional, and mental health. We all work very hard and deserve a short break every day.

--Original published at *Psych 105*

Stress is simply a part of daily life, whether we like it or not. It is one of the characteristics of our lives that is essential. While it is most certainly needed, too much stress is unquestionably detrimental to your health. As a college student, stress is everywhere; whether it be internally or externally influenced. The whole concept of college can even be stress-inducing, as we are here in this school preparing for a career that could potentially last us our entire adult lives. While that is an extreme example, that is one of the many facts that can prove to be a great stressor for a college student. The pressures to make deadlines and give all your effort into various assignments, all the while trying to maintain a healthy and balanced social life, and get a decent amount of sleep can take a toll on the body.

However, hope is not lost, stress management has the ability to be a college student’s best friend. Personally, I struggle to deal with my stress. It has always been a game of tug-of-war for me for as long as I can remember. Coming to college itself hasn’t induced as much stress as I thought it would, but mine stems more from my mind and my personal expectations. These expectations simply become unrealistic and my mind goes into overdrive trying to correct it. Needless to say, it is an exhausting cycle and I need to keep making changes. One of the stress management activities that has worked the best for me is constant activity through sports. I love being a part of a team mentality, and you get to actually see your progress as the weeks go by. The sports provide structure and a schedule that cannot be broken. It is during the sports season, particularly field hockey, that I find I am the most comfortable with my stress levels. While they are still a little high, it is a healthier amount of stress than when I am out of season. Another stress reliever I use is meditation. For the longest time, I thought meditation was a bunch of bologna, but after taking the time to just stop what I’m doing and making an effort to quiet my mind has really helped. While it does not take away the endless things I need to accomplish, it allows me to just take a step back for a couple moments to recenter myself.

In the future, there are quite a few things I would like to incorporate into my daily life to help manage stress. One activity that I have done in the past, but never really stuck to, was yoga. The whole idea of yoga is really attractive to me. The focus on breathing and taking care of your body through the stretches seems like something that could be really beneficial if I stuck with it. Another activity is taking steps to improve my time management and prioritization. One of my greatest faults is taking on too much at one time and being overly ambitious. Taking the time to truly budget my time between all the areas that need my attention will allow me to make a preemptive strike against stress. Creating a solid routine for when I am outside of season will also make a world of difference in my stress levels. I already try to regulate my sleeping schedule, but I also need to begin regulating when I eat or when I do homework instead of just cramming everything in right before I go to bed. This also loops back into the time management piece. When I am comfortable with my routines and schedules, I am a calmer person. Many of the changes I hope to make in my daily life seem minor, but that is really all it takes to make a positive change in your life: consistency is the key.

--Original published at Jessie's PSY105 Blog

For my first impression post this week I chose Option #1. This required me to describe my own stress management strategies, asses how well they work, and think of other stress management options that I could potentially add into my routine to further aid myself in dealing with stress. Currently, the primary source of stress in my life is related to school and homework. Because of this, I make sure to keep myself from doing nothing but homework for too long. Each time that I finish the assigned homework for a particular subject, I make sure to something that is not homework related before starting on the next subject. For example, I may listen to a song or two or do something with my roommate or neighbors. Then, after this short five to ten minute break, I return to my homework. I feel that this works well in keeping my stress under control, as long as I actually adhere to this schedule. Typically, if I have a large exam the next day, I find myself spending a very long amount of time studying for said exam. Since I never reach the point where I can switch subjects, I do not find that I give myself a break. This causes me to spend a very long time on one thing, without giving myself the break that I need. However, on most days when I have a typical amount of homework and no exam the next day, I find that this strategy is incredibly beneficial. A stress management option that could work in the future would be to start studying for tests much farther in advance. If I split up the amount of material that I have to study over a much longer period of time, I would be able to less of a time and avoid this ‘binge studying’. This would keep me from spending too long on one single subject and allow myself to continue my schedule of taking a break when ever I am finished with a subject.

--Original published at CurtisCollegeBlog

I agree that the world around us is very stressful, and that being a college student adds even more stress and pressure to everyday life. Overall, I would consider myself stress-free or minimally stressed most of the time. I am generally not really ever stressed out unless I have multiple assignments bearing down on me at once. Even then, I still think that manage my stress well, I don’t let things overcome me to the point where, I am panicking and having anxiety attacks or anything. With that being said, I don’t have any special techniques to get rid of my stress or anything, I just kind of live life however it feels natural. When my life seems like it’s too much or I need a break, I’ll just play video games or go play basketball or something. Also, I try to stay out of as much drama as possible, so I don’t have anything to worry about like that. So, if you would call those stress management strategies, I would say mine are decently effective in terms of keeping me level-headed. To be honest, I don’t know any real big changes or techniques I could even add to my daily lifestyle. I guess I could try doing yoga or some kind of meditation activity that would be healthy for me. In fact, some of my other friends like to take walks and go exploring around their school, I could take up doing that because it’s kind of relaxing. My one friend has a big stress ball, so if I really need to I could play with that.

--Original published at Emily Garvin's Psych Blog

Stress permeates American society, and college is a very stressful environment for everyone involved. Stress management is a critical component of academic success in college. Describe your current stress management strategies, assess how well they work, and discuss what other stress management activities you could realistically incorporate into your routine to help you deal with stress more effectively.

As a student athlete I have to find a balance between academics, athletics, and my social life. There are instances when I struggle to manage my time. Most of my peers also find it difficult to manage their time and they aren’t student athletes as well. Typically, I my stress level is under control for the most part. My stress comes mostly from within myself, I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself to excel at everything I do. This causes a constant burden on my body and mental health because I can only divde my attention to so many things at once. To keep my stress levels in check I tend to get ahead on work and prepare for assignments before their due date. I also try to practice my sports outside of our regular scheduled practice time, so I am more prepared for our games. These strategies work to an extent, but there is simply not enough time in a day for me to get accomplished everything I want to do. I have realized that I need to take more time for myself doing relaxing activities that take my mind off of things for a while.

Some stress relieving activities that I could incorporate into my life include yoga, naps, and increased socialization. In the past I have participated in yoga and afterwards I always feel like a new person. Yoga takes an hour of my day away, but during that hour I am only focused on myself and relaxation. I also believe that I do not get enough sleep, so taking periodic 20-minute naps could refresh my mind and put me in a better mood. Lastly, when I am stressed out I tend to isolate myself and fixate on things that I haven’t completed yet or things I am not exceptional at. I think that socializing more with my friends could take my mind off these things so that I am not as fixated on them anymore.

--Original published at Miguel's College Blog

For this first impression post, I want to discuss my current stress management strategies, how well they work, and what other realistic stress strategies I can implement into my life to help relieve some stress.

With two years of college under my belt, I think I have an idea of how to effectively manage my stress. Transferring into E-town for my sophomore year, it did take me the fall semester to adjust to the rigor and pace of the academics here, but I did eventually get the hang of it by spring semester. A universal stress management technique that I try to do is get my work done before it gets too close to the due date because that takes off much of the pressure since I am not rushing to get something done. One that works for me is if I am stressed about an assignment or something on my mind, I try and leave the room that I am in and take a small walk. Taking a small walk helps me clear my mind by physically removing myself from stressors and letting my mind think of something else. Also, taking a walk can even help provide answers to any burning questions I may have. I think that taking a walk is my most effective strategy other than actually getting things done before their due date because most times, I feel refreshed from taking a walk and I have more energy because I actually did move around a bit.

Another strategy I use when time permits is to take a nap. Naps are great. I can get away from my stress for a little bit and get some sleep too. Does this work all the time? Of course not. Depending on the amount of time I give myself to nap and what kind of stress I am facing before and after I wake up can affect how I will feel after I nap. Usually, I can take a nap when I get way too stressed to think straight and wake up feeling energized enough to keep working. Other times, I can take a nap feeling stressed and then wake up stressed plus groggy, so its a hit or miss situation with that one. A more simple one that I have implemented this year was using stress balls. I already have a ton of them from different events around campus so it was easy for me to find one. Having one to squeeze while I was stressing out or thinking about something stressful has helped me feel a little less stressed and a little more focused in whatever I was trying to do.

A realistic strategy I know that has worked for me but I have not been able to do very much is go to the gym. I know that going to the gym has helped me before in relieving some stress but finding the time for it has sometimes added more stress to myself than I needed. I think that maybe just finding a small amount of time for a run is a little more acquirable. I also think that listening to some calming music when I get stressed could help lower my stress levels.