How to deal with stress as a student

(This was originally posted on my blog Selfhood Pending on August 2, 2016. It lives here until I decide to remove it from the Internet.)

Stress is a constant in life. Humans were built to worry, because it’s the best way to avoid doing anything too dangerous. Unfortunately, the very thing that kept your ancestors alive is now capable of destroying your psyche. Especially for teens, dealing with stress can be overwhelming. High school, and then college, demands a lot. At this age, you also face social pressures as you try to figure out an identity and place for yourself. Stress is just one thing in the avalanche of adolescence, but it’s the one that reminds you about how bad all the other things are. What a pal, thanks brain!

So, seriously, how can you learn to handle stress?

I like to follow three key steps: acknowledge, escape, tackle.

Step 1: Acknowledge your Stress

You’ve probably noticed that it’s impossible to ignore stress.

I can tell myself to forget about that big assignment, but it’ll just be the loudest voice screaming for attention in my mind until I break down and try to do it. At that point, the same voice usually turns to yelling about how I’m not doing it well enough or that I won’t be able to finish.

Stress, essentially, begs to be heard.

So, the best thing to do is acknowledge it. I prefer to write down what’s worrying me, but talking about it with someone can also work wonders.

Every day before bed, I write out everything that I’m worrying about in a journal I keep on my nightstand. I puke out all those voices that have been rattling around, begging for attention.

And, that usually shuts them up.

Step 2: Escape your Stress

Now, this may seem contradictory to what I just said, but if you’re acknowledging your stress, it’s actually easier to find ways to relax.

It’s absolutely essential that you regularly allow yourself to take a break and just forget about responsibilities and stress. So, you should try to find something you can do that absolutely captures your attention. Maybe you get engrossed by a good book, or lose yourself in a good romantic comedy. Whatever it is, make time for it.

This is how you tell stress that it doesn’t rule your life. If you’re constantly chugging away at your to-do list, those tasks, and the stress they cause, are controlling your life.

Take back that control, and set your own schedule. That means making time to do things that are carefree and fun.

It’s important to remember that this is always a top priority.

Step 3: Tackle your To-Do’s

Ultimately, the only way to quiet any particular voice that’s stressing you out is by actually finishing the task. So, instead of sitting around worrying, you have to do something productive.

Usually, if you are acknowledging your stressors and taking time to escape, you will actually be able to produce more quality work at a better pace.

Taking the time to make sure stress isn’t weighing you down will get those productivity juices flowing.
And, if you spend less time worrying, you should be starting well before the deadline. This removes the pressure to rush through everything, and allows you to approach the project in moderation.

So, one day you can pump out an outline in half an hour, then you could spend one or two hours spread across the next couple days drafting. A final edit in twenty minutes, and you’ve created an essay.

Now, if you’re in school, you’ve probably got a lot going on, so we’ll address a sub-step here:

Step 3.5: Prioritize

Usually, the most important tasks will be those with the nearest deadlines. However, if you’ve got a particularly large project and it’s not due until the end of the semester, that deserves attention well before the due date.

A good rule to go by is that the loudest voices ought to be addressed first. Remember to take baby steps. By always trying to tackle something you’ll get a boost of energy from the feeling of accomplishment instead of being weighed down by worry. This makes those little tasks culminate to a big accomplishment much quicker.

And Always…

• Stay organized. Keep notes, calendars with deadlines, and set reminders for yourself. Emptying your brain is a good way to relieve stress, and also makes you less likely to forget something important.
• Stay healthy. Getting enough sleep is non-negotiable. Eating healthy foods and drinking plenty of water are also necessary to start living stress-free. Comfort food may sound like the best choice (and you should still treat yourself), but it weighs down your body the same way worry does.
• Stay positive. You may falter, and nobody is perfect. But, you shouldn’t give up on yourself just because you procrastinated one essay until the last minute. You are always making choices, and this is just a reminder to be more conscious about how you’re choosing to use your time.