College life is an immensely valuable period of young people’s lives. It opens new perspectives and broadens the horizons, making room for personal development and growth. So, why is it that college is so often associated with stress? And what makes this period of life so stressful for students? Well, there are many reasons why students can feel the pressure of college life: new surroundings, high expectations, sleepless nights, exams, projects, finances…
Still, no matter what the source of your stress is, you need to find ways of managing it effectively. Battling stress can be a handful, but once you get a hold of it, there’s no going back to it.
Take a look at some of the most effective ways of managing stress as a college student.
source: Pixabay
Table of Contents
1. Pin it Down
The number one rule for battling any kind of stress is to find its main source.
It often happens that we feel stressed out and worried without even knowing what exactly is making us feel that way. That makes it impossible for us to battle it and overcome it.
Therefore, college students need to take a deep look inside and face their worries. The best way to do this is to ask yourself some of these questions:
- What is making me nervous?
- What I am worried about?
- If there was one problem I could solve immediately, what would it be?
- Why do I feel this way?
Pretending like the problem isn’t there and hoping it will go away is not going to solve it. You have to face it and embrace that you’re vulnerable.
Only then can you think about managing the stress.
2. Take Control
Even though you may be feeling lost and helpless at some point during your college years, you need to remember you’re in control of your life and there’s no one else who can solve your problems.
If you managed to pin down the sources of your stress, it’s time to try removing them.
The main sources of stress for college students are:
- Academic Success
- Social Life
- Nostalgia
- Financial Issues
Let us try and break these down a bit, finding possible solutions for managing stress caused by the main sources.
- Academic success
The reason you got into college is to get a great education and grades are immensely important for you. We get it.
Still, you can’t be the slave of your academic success. The stress of maintaining it will eat you up so here’s what you can do to handle it:
- Make a study planner and stick to it.
- Find a study buddy, and help each other out.
- Use online resources: find study materials, use practice sheets, hire online tutors or even check out what are the best essay writing services.
- don’t push yourself too hard
- Social Life
Some college students find it difficult to make new contacts and interact with people they don’t know. Still, you can’t be alone and lonely all the time and you need to start making friends ASAP. Here’s how to do it:
- Join a college club: mathematics, drama, ecology etc.
- Get to class early to have time to chat with colleagues.
- Get a roommate or spend more time with the one you’re assigned.
- Attend all the events you’re invited to.
- Nostalgia
Being homesick is a cause of serious stress and anxiety for many students. Deal with this stress by:
- Spending less time alone in your room and finding more things to keep you busy.
- Talking about it, with a friend or counselor.
- Financial issues
When money is lacking, stress can increase. You have to worry about paying the bills, the tuition, the food and even maintaining a social life. You basically have two options:
- Find a job: earning a bit of extra cash is always welcome. Find something that takes only a couple of hours from your week so as not to affect your grades.
- Apply for a scholarship: find an open spot, write a killer application letter and hope for the best. Check out the reviews of companieswhich can help you write it.
It’s important that we’re on the same page here: it takes time and effort to battle any source of stress. It won’t go away overnight. But, don’t let it take control over your mental health. You’re stronger than it.
3. Healthy Lifestyle
Even though there are specific sources of your stress, it’s time we take a look at the bigger picture.
Your body can feel the stress as well, and if you’re not treating it right it will affect your mental health and add pressure to your already worried mind.
In order to remove the unnecessary stress your body may be experiencing, you need to make sure you’re leading a healthy lifestyle.
It implies that you:
- Eat regularly and properly: more fresh food and healthy ingredients; less junk food, alcohol and cigarettes
- Exercise: go for a jog a couple of times a week or do any kind of sports. Exercise is great for removing stress.
- Sleep well: don’t put additional stress on your body by not sleeping regularly. Obviously, you’re going to party and stay up all night from time to time- just don’t make it a regular thing.
Final Thoughts
The main point we wish to underline is that stress isn’t going to go away on its own. You need to confront it and find a way to reduce it or remove it completely. By doing so, you’ll ensure you’re saving your mental health and helping yourself enjoy the college years.
Use the advice listed above and start battling our stress today. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favor.
Daniela McVicker is a freelance writer, blogger, and editor at Trust My Paper. She graduated from Durham University and has an MA in psychological science. Her passion is travel and finding ways to enrich students’ learning experience.
