Tips to Destress

By: Claire Hardwick

As the semester comes to a close it can feel like everywhere you turn there’s a new assignment to be completed, test to study for, or group project to plan. Here are some helpful tips for those times when you feel like if you make one more flash card you might explode!

1. Switch up your surroundings: One of the most helpful de-stressing strategies I’ve learned this semester as a freshman adjusting to college life is that staying in one spot and continuously stressing out over whatever you’re working on won’t get you anywhere. If you’re crammed inside a stuffy study lounge move outside for an hour, then go to the library the next hour. If you keep switching up your study spot every one to two hours you’ll feel less restless and the small walk to each new spot will give you the much needed chance to clear your head.
2. Let’s get physical! Although the last thing you might want to do is go to the gym when you’re bogged down with what feels like a million homework assignments, I’ve found that taking as little as thirty minutes out of your day to workout and break a sweat makes it so much easier to focus on your work. Not only does it give you a chance to clear your head and focus on something other than homework but it’s actually scientifically proven that because exercise increases blood flow to the brain, you’ll think better after you work out!
3. Challenge yourself not to talk about stress: Walking around UT it can feel like the only thing anyone can talk about is everything that stresses them out whether that’s school work or what they’re going to eat for lunch. Grab your roommate or a friend from class and challenge yourself to have a conversation for five minutes about anything other than school work or the stresses in your life. It will be hard at first, but those few moments where you’re allowed to not focus on stressful situations will help you to broaden friendships and remind you that there’s definitely more to life than the paper due tomorrow.
4. Find your study groove: Stress that comes from studying usually doesn’t come from how much you have to do but instead inefficient studying. Try out different forms of studying until you find a practice that gives you the best results, whether that’s higher grades or more understanding. If you get too distracted while studying with friends, try going solo, if rereading textbooks doesn’t get you anywhere try making flashcards or rewriting notes to learn new information. Finding the way your brain studies and retains information will reduce so much stress because you’re being more efficient which means more time for the things you actually want to be doing!

School is really stressful, I’ve learned that this semester between balancing college classes, being a Fall ‘15 weenie (woohoo) and still trying to find time to relax and have some me time. These tips have come in handy when I’m feeling especially stressed and I hope they’ll help you too as finals creep closer and closer!