Healthy Stress Relievers for College Students
We all know that college is a stressful chapter in everyone’s lives, which is why it’s so important that every student knows a few different ways to relieve all of that stress. Of course, there’s a number of different ways people deal with their stress that aren’t so healthy, but those techniques always end up adding to the stress in the end. If you want to truly cope with your stress in a way that will actually help you to stay efficient and productive, here are a few healthy stress relievers for college students.
Go on a Hike
As a college student you spend a lot of time sitting in classrooms, staring into your laptop and curled up reading your textbooks. This is a lot of sitting idle and even if you really like to lead a very sedentary life, a little exercise in the fresh air is important for everybody from time to time. That’s why getting out and going on a hike is always a great way to relieve your stress, especially during midterms or finals.
Take a Yoga Class
Yoga is a great way to decompress from the stresses of daily life because you get to concentrate your mind on your body in the present moment. You may have a long list of tasks that you need to complete when you finish yoga, but while you are doing yoga, the only thing you want to be listening to is your breath and the tension in your body. When you can breathe into those places that are tense and you can stretch through that tension, you will find yourself refreshed and in a better mood to tackle your daily challenges the moment you walk out of your yoga class.
Spend Some Quality Time with a Friend
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is tantamount to coping with stress, but so is maintaining good friendships. We rely on our close friends and family members to process all the ups and downs of life, and when you are feeling stressed out, sometimes it’s best if you can just connect with someone special. Whether that means going out for coffee with one of your friends at Boston College, or having a video chat with your best friend who is all the way at George Washington University, just spending an hour with someone who cares about you can be very therapeutic.
Express Yourself Creatively
When you’re feeling overwhelmed with life, sometimes the best way to process that feeling is to express it creatively. For some people this means making music, for others it means drawing, but it could mean a great number of different things. Whether you like to knit sweaters, create short films or paint on canvas, diving into your hobbies and your passions is a great way to get yourself through the hard times.
Go to the Gym
Another great way to let off some steam is to get your sweat on. Lift some weights, climb some stairs, run the treadmill or take a fitness class. There are all kinds of different ways that you can take a timeout to just focus on your physical body and forget about your scholarly duties and your personal drama. Just taking an hour to listen to some great music in your earbuds and pump some iron can be the escape you need to find some clarity of mind when you get back to your studies.