How to Balance College & Everything: Advice from a Recent Grad

I can confidently say that I am a queen of stress. I get stressed out so easily, usually for reasons that so not stress worthy. College is a place where stress came easy. I literally went into class, heard about a homework assignment and immediately start stressing, even if the assignment is something that really won’t take much time at all. Although I do get stressed out a lot, I have found a ton of ways to cope with it. The combination of tough classes, jobs, a social life, and overall, just living can be a lot on anyone’s plate. If you constantly find yourself stressing over things in college I promise you will get at least something out of this blog post. Here are my top tips when it comes to dealing with stress in college:

1.WAKE UP EARLIER:

I am a firm believer in waking up early to get things done. When I was in the AT world and woke up before the crack of dawn, I had so much more time for activities in the day! IT IS HARD TO DO! There was a time when I got up a few hours earlier than I normally would so that I have time to start my day on a relaxed note. I use this time to do odds and ends that I know need to get done, write out to-do lists, and EAT!

2.VISUALIZE YOUR DAY:

When you wake up, take time to visualize your whole day. Think about what you need to get done and when you need to get it done. I like to almost think of this as an internal schedule. Keep note of how much time you will need for each given task that you would like to complete.

3. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!: 

Knowing exactly what you have to get done on each given day is a huge help when it comes to being stressed. Sometimes the amount of assignments, tests, etc. can be overwhelming and lead to stress. Keeping a planner and writing everything down in it will allow you to view everything that you need to get done at one glance. I have found that color coordinating things also helps to diminish the stress of them. Look at your class syllabuses and schedules and write down any upcoming assignments, quizzes, presentations, workshops, or exams. This will take about 10 minutes a week and make keeping track of everything a breeze.

4. DISCONNECT WHEN YOU CAN:

Sometimes it can be tough to shut your phone off, and disconnect yourself from some of the things around you. BUT hey, I’ve heard that it’s good to turn cell phones off sometimes! No but really, take time to enjoy life without the mini computer in your pocket buzzing every second. If this means that you have to uninstall certain apps or even shut off your notifications, do it. Giving yourself a set amount of time each day to disconnect from the outside world will allow you to decompress and relax.

5. LET YOUR POSITIVES OUTWEIGH YOUR NEGATIVES:

We constantly think about what doesn’t get finished, or what we forgot to do. Sometimes it’s better to focus on the positive rather than to dwell on the negative. Think about what you are capable of, what you have completed, and how far you have come. No one is perfect, it’s very important to understand this and work on praising yourself for everything that deserves to be praised.