By Brett Cardena
We’ve all been there, we’ve all done it. Expletives spew freely from our mouths as we curse all of our assignments, all of our classes, and all of our professors. Well… Hopefully this is a little bit of an exaggeration, but you all get my point. Stress is unavoidable as a college student, the workload and environment can really weigh you down at times, and while it’s not fun, it is necessary. Luckily, stress is one of those things that only gets the best of you when you let it. Here are my experiences with stress, maybe you guys can take something from them.
When classes start to gang up on you, the best thing you can do is to stay on top of your work. I know how hard this is, especially with a TV and the internet so readily available, but trust me it works. If you let all of your work sit until the last minute you’ll be pulling your hair out trying to learn everything from the past 2 months in 3 days (Trust me, I know, that’s the mistake I made in my Calculus B class…) Since then I’ve learned to just study a few hours a day when I have an exam coming up. If you start a week ahead of time you have more than enough time to learn everything, and it only takes a few hours a day! (Yay! I no longer have to skip episodes of House!) Spreading your work out will not only help you focus better, but you also won’t feel as drained after studying! Honestly doing this has made my life so much easier!
Also, try to keep your personal life from effecting your school life. Trust me, I know how hard this can be, but it’s doable. I find the best way to do this is to work out my problems as they come. Try not to let anything sit, do whatever you need to to move on as quickly as possible. Don’t be afraid to step away from your studies for an hour or two to talk things out with someone, or take a breather. If something is distracting you do what you can do to handle it, that way, when you are studying, you can focus all of your attention on it.
Now you may be asking, “Okay. So now I won’t have to deal with as much stress as before, but what do I do with the stress that I do have?” Well, it’s pretty easy. What do you WANT to do with it? The best way to reduce stress is by doing things that you love, or trying new things! There are so many different ways to blow off your stress that I can;t list them all here, but here is my advice:
1) Pick up an instrument, or play one you already know. I find that writing music and playing guitar always helps me ease up when the pressure is on. Even if you don’t know how to play an instrument, learning a new one can give you a new outlet for your stress, as well as something fun to do in your spare time!
2) Write a short story, or a blog! I myself keep a blog where I post works of fiction, as well as short anecdotes from my life. It gives me another outlet for my creativity, and it helps me to keep my mind off of my work when I’m stressed out.
3) Play a video game, or computer game. Playing video games is a great way to get your mind off of your work, even if its just a puzzle game on the internet. Try to play a casual game when your really stressed out, something simple and easy, but fun enough to keep your mind occupied; just make sure not to play too often!
4) Watch a movie! I try to watch a movie at least once a week, as its a great way to escape from schoolwork and just immerse yourself in something for a few hours. Once the movie is over, you’ll feel renewed and ready for a fresh start!
5) Go off campus once in awhile! I find that being trapped on campus, since I don’t have a car, is often one thing that stresses me out a lot. Try to take the loop and go to the mall or a restaurant, or even just take a walk a few blocks off campus with some friends.
6) Exercise! Going to the gym, or running are great ways to release stress. Exercise releases endorphins in your brain which can reduce stress, and help you focus. Getting on a regular exercise schedule will not only keep you in shape, but it will make you study better and feel better too!
That’s my advice! I hope it helps! Just remember to pace yourself and stay on top of your work! The best way to handle stress is to keep a good balance of work and fun, and hopefully you won’t be pulling your hair out during this semester!
Brett Cardena is a sophomore Physics major. He plans on going to Grad School to become a Physics Professor. He enjoys playing guitar and watching tons of movies.
The Sophomore Year Experience at TCNJ 