So I’m gonna put it out there, school (life in general) can be stressful. I know lots of my friends and even myself got a overwhelmed last semester. Some with homework but some with other things too like work, homesickness and I even dealt with an extreme family crisis. I decided I had to do something about it so I went to the counseling services the university offers (can be found in Turcotte Hall). I’m just going to share some tips I got for de-stressing my life and just helping my overall well being.
1. Eat right. I know its been said millions of times but the professionals know what they’re talking about. You have to keep your insides healthy to keep your mind and everything else healthy. The big one for me was to try taking vitamins. Since the sun isn’t out all the time to provide vitamin D, just take it in pill form. I was really amazed how this helped my mood, I’m actually a grump and sluggish if I don’t take it. Same with good ol’ vitamin C, Iron and omega 3.
2. Exercise. I try… The gym is a little bit intimidating but it must be done, and a gym pass is included in your tuition so might as well try to make the most of it. All day you are studying and have lectures that you’re using your brain for so this is a good way to give it a break and work your body instead. There are also studies that show that exercising before writing a paper will improve your writing and energy levels!
3. Do stuff you love or will love. I started knitting. It’s nice to keep my hands busy while relaxing on the couch, plus I made nice scarf for my boyfriend. I also took up yoga again for some much needed meditation and breathing.
Did you know when your stressed you actually unconsciously take smaller breaths? Yeah, well you do! So take a few minutes every time while washing your hands in the bathroom to breathe deeply a couple times.
I was talking with the kind ladies at the university counseling services and they really want to mention to people that it is not something abnormal to go there for help. They also offer help on things like studying and note taking! Things won’t get better if you don’t seek help.