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Featured Guest Post By Joshua Chase @ Northern Arizona University 


As the semester ends I would like to make it apparent that as a college student stress can be a big factor standing in the way of a good semester.  It happens to the best of us. We get so deep into our studies that we begin to feel overwhelmed with the shear amount of work that is required in order to stay afloat. Throughout your college career it is common to hit walls of stress during a semester or two. Being able to manage that stress can be the deciding factor in getting that “A” that you are working so hard to get, or the “ C” in order to just pass the class. The following are ways to reduce stress caused during each semester that you can use as you continue your journey throughout college. 

First, you should stop stressing about being stressed. This may seem like a hard thing to do at first but once you actively try to change the feeling of being overwhelmed you may start to feel better.  Being in the right mental state can often do wonders for stress levels. 

Second, eating healthy is important, when it comes to reducing stress.  As the semester progresses and the harder the material gets your eating habits may have become less than satisfactory. A cup of noodles from a Styrofoam cup may seem like the only viable and quick option you have (I’ve been there). Think about what you usually eat on a typical day over the semester. If you aren’t eating healthy meals, the stress that you may be experiencing may not only be psychological, but physical as well. Eating fruits and vegetables, along with proteins and whole grains will help with feelings sluggishness as the day progresses, as well as give you higher mental functioning and focus to complete homework.

Third, along with a implementing a good diet, adequate sleep is needed in order to recharge between days. As a college student I have found this particularly hard, often going to bed only when I have finished all of my work. This can cause a great deal of stress along with feelings of tiredness the next day. Having a plan as to how much school work you will get done before a designated time, will not only help with feeling overwhelmed despite mass quantities of school work but will also help with stress. Taking the time to lie in bed and relax a bit before dozing off often gives you a sense that you don’t have so much to do, and also will help your mood and motivation the next day.

Fourth, taking the time to exercise during times of high stress do to college work can be beneficial in not only reducing your stress, but will be good for overall health and well-being. I find that the best type of stress relieving at my college is skiing and swimming.

In combination these factors can help significantly in reducing stress over each semester.

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