Stress is no joke. Whether you feel it everyday or you let it fester until it consumes you, we all experience it at some point in our lives. Have no fear, because I’m here to give you 5 hints and tips that can help manage and prevent stress. Enjoy!
- Wake up 10 minutes earlier and eat a healthy breakfast. This will not only help you feel more awake, but also keep you energized for the day! North Point and Merle M. Price Commons are open from 7:00am to 9:30am for breakfast, Monday through Friday.
- Start/Keep up with a planner.
It might sound obvious, but there are plenty of people who don’t use planners and are consequently stressed to the max all the time. Writing down what you need to do each day can help alleviate some stress. However, if you’re one of those people who just get more stressed out writing down to-do lists, then this next step is essential. (Also, try crossing assignments and items off your planner or list when you’re done with them! Sometimes seeing how far you’ve come and how far you still have to go can be helpful). Stout provides planners out every year, so keep an eye out for them!
- Exercise. If I’ve sat around all day, I don’t feel even the slightest bit motivated to do something. However, I find that if I walk to class instead of driving or catching the bus, I can focus more on the professor and on my homework later on in the day. On a smaller scale, try taking the long way back to your room, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. You could even go for a short walk around campus! Or, if you’re looking for a longer walk, check out the Red Cedar Trail!
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4. Take study breaks. Go grab a coffee or soda from any of the places to eat on campus and peruse the Internet for 20 minutes before turning back to your homework. It’s nice to give your brain a break every once in a while! Otherwise, you just get burned out really fast. Click here for more information on places to eat around campus!
5. Head over to the 4th floor of Bowman Hall and check out the Zen Zone. There are a lot of great way to help manage and prevent stress there, complete with a nice comfy recliner and light box. You can also take a look at several website and find out more about stress and ways to reduce it (there’s also a link to a great online resource for time management, here is the link for more information).
The counselors in Bowman are always happy to help and every consultation is free of charge. There are also graduate students who are happy to help you, located on the 2nd floor of Vocational Rehabilitation. Here is more information regarding the counseling center services.
Don’t feel bad about going in every once in a while and getting a mental health check-up (it’s free!) just to keep yourself healthy and happy.
What are your preferred methods of stress management? Let us know!
-Emilie
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