Feeling Stressed? You're not alone sistas and brothas
By Lauren Brose, ‘15
That awkwardly freaky moment when your insides are about to explode because you feel like you currently don’t have a very tight grasp on anything in your life. I’ve been there, you’ve been there, we’ve all been there– many times.
Fall semester is starting and:
(a) You aren’t completely settled in your new dorm, bedroom, or apartment
(b) You’re starting a new campus job (or trying to find one)
© 6AM morning practices followed by afternoon training is your reality
(d) You’ve joined a new club, student organization, or house
(e) More than one of these choices
I can bet that a lot of us can agree with option “e” because, let’s face it, juggling multiple responsibilities effectively because we just wanna do it all is why are Trojans in the first place. Even still, feeling overwhelmed and stressed out are legitimate problems every college student faces. I know that when I feel overwhelmed, instinctually, I want to wave my white flag and cry for help. And then maybe have a nap.
Through trial and error I have found ways I can avoid the devastating feeling of biting off more than I can chew and have come up with a list of quick tips that are not only easy to remember but also easy to integrate within your everyday life.
Get a planner not just for school but for life
With the digital age taking over and paper becoming an insult to trees, planners seem really geeky but that’s because they are. Bear in mind that whether you jump on the bandwagon or not, nerds are going to rule the world and more importantly be your boss. I use my planner to keep track of assignment deadlines, to remind myself of when I should be compiling my notes for a midterm the following week, when a component of a semester-long project should be done so I don’t fall behind AND my entire social calendar, weekly tasks/goals, even a meal plan and workout schedule. The beauty of having a planner is keeping it all in one place, getting to pull it out at any given moment and making small annotations if something comes up.
For the love of Yeezus SLEEP
Sleep is good for many reasons. For one, you’re not an angry bear in the middle of January for the entire day but more importantly (if possible) sleep improves memory, increases alertness, spurs creativity, contributes to maintaining a healthy weight, lowers stress, decreases depression and is even linked to living a longer life. Sleep. We all have to do it so why not do it right and reap maximum benefits from it?
Make a list of deadlines and set it as your wallpaper on your phone or laptop (or both if you’re feeling ambitious)
I have a ton of friends who do this (I’ve mastered color-coding my planner don’t judge me) and it’s really effective. How many hours a day does an average student spend on their phone and laptops? A whole heck of a lot. Imagine seeing your deadlines staring you square in the face every time you open your laptop to check your Facebook. Aggressive, maybe, but effective.
Don’t drill out 5 hours straight of studying (breaks)
Studies have shown that your brain will retain more information and not get as worn down if you study for 50 minutes and then allow yourself 10 minutes of rest time to recharge. Give your dynamic dome a break if you’re in for the long haul. I’m not complaining– a break means 10 minutes away from homework… who enjoys homework?
Lay out your clothes and pack your school things for class the night before
When I am running late and am trying to grab something to wear, my mind goes into panic-mode and I just grab the first things I see and rarely is it an outfit that I feel most confident in. To avoid feeling frazzled before my afternoon Lemonade, I lay out what I am going to wear to class the next day before I go to bed as well as all of my school things. There’s nothing worse than going to class with 20% on your laptop and forgetting to grab your charger or arriving at Doheny to work on a paper without earbuds. No music? Incorrigible.
Learn to say “no”
Ever since I turned 21 I keep getting invited to go out to these amazing LA nightclubs… on a Monday. The problem is that I have class from 10am-9:20pm on Tuesday so getting in bed at 3am so I can get my day started with a nice invigorating morning run is most likely not going to happen (*sigh* in a perfect world…). The problem here is my #FOMO. Fear of missing out is real for so many college students especially since we live in LA and go to a school as social as USC. If you’re assessing the damage during dinner on your homework and know you’ll be in for a late night and then your buddy asks if you’re down to hit up the 90 please think twice! The 90 is not going anywhere, it’s cooler on Thursdays anyway and your homework is a ticking time bomb that directly affects your GPA. C’s get degrees but in the competitive job market we are in today, GPA’s are going to be a dealmaker (or dealbreaker:( )
Caffeine is your friend but would you appreciate your friend abusing you 24/7? I didn’t think so.
Consuming too much caffeine can have negative effects including an interruption in your sleep cycle and feeling tense, anxious and jittery. These all contribute to stress and will offset your daily routine as well as overall health. Limit your consumption throughout your day and stop drinking caffeine altogether at a specific time to ensure you will have a sound sleep.
Exercise
When I am feeling stressed out and behind on my work, exercising is the last thing I want to do. However, I learned that it is one of the most effective ways to clear my head in a short amount of time because exercise is vital for your mental health. I typically go to the gym every morning to kick start my day and noticed significant differences in my energy level, appetite, metabolism and stress levels. In fact, I go through my day feeling more motivated and confident in everything that I do and rarely find my workload unmanageable.
I hope that these tips helped you out because I live by them and so far have been seeing only positive results. Just remember: In the college world, time management IS stress management.
