Imagine you are watching the sunshine and flowers bloom through the window, while you sit inside of bleak and gloomy Roy O. West library, staring at a textbook. Sigh. It’s spring, you’re stressed, and (unfortunately) probably don’t have the time to “soak up the sun” like Cheryl Crow hoped you would. Although this editorial has been a reminder of this sad reality, we are also here with some scientifically proven tips that will help you better manage stress and anxiety during this busy time of year.
An article from healthline.com gave us some insight into 16 ways one can minimize both anxiety and stress. From this list, we have picked what we believe (from personal experience) to be the best and most helpful tips.
- Exercise. Allowing yourself to simply move around during the day to remove yourself from your work will do wonders for your stress and anxiety levels. A simple walk around campus or in the nature park can really help to clear your mind.
- Reduce your caffeine intake. We know, we know— this is asking a lot. But, a caffeine overload can actually increase your heart rate, making you shaky and more anxious.
- Don’t overload yourself. DePauw students are competitive and quite frankly, busy. All the time. We all have that friend who has a full class schedule and is somehow involved in seemingly everything on campus. But, only take on what you can handle and don’t compare yourself to others. Remember that you don’t need to bring extra anxiety and stress into your life by overloading yourself with activities.
- Breathe. Whether this means closing your eyes for a few minutes a day or just taking a moment for mindfulness or deep breathing. Centering yourself and your mind has been proven to be very helpful when one is feeling anxious or stressed.
- Make time for things that make you happy. Whether it’s your favorite hobby or spending time with friends, make sure to do something you enjoy every day. This one is pretty self-explanatory, but doing something you really love every day will give you that final push toward productivity and achieving academic goals during this time in the semester.
Stress can be hard to manage, especially with what seems like a never ending to-do list. However, the important thing to remember is to take care of yourself and that we are all in this together. Managing your time and minimizing stress may actually allow for you to get outside and genuinely enjoy springtime. Plus, the sunshine is good for you.