April is recognized as National Stress Awareness Month, drawing attention to the negative effects of stress. As college students, most of us are pretty familiar with the concept of stress.
I have a huge load on it right now. I just got married, graduated, started my career, and am looking for a place to live. That's a lot of stress right there. Needless to say, I am doing my best to maintain my grades in all four classes so that my GPA does not drop. Stress can bring out a person's true self and reveal their true priorities.
National Stress Awareness Month helps remind people that stress management is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. In college, that's one of the most important things. When your life is balanced, stress seems almost non-existent. Finals week is approaching and this time of year can be a bit stressful for students.
Stress management comes in many forms. There are multiple ways to combat the stress you feel, whether it's by spending time with friends or staying home and participating in your favorite hobbies. One of the biggest things you can do to keep yourself from losing your mind during finals week is to do something you love. When I feel tension starting to build up, I can usually calm myself down by two things:
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Start by watching your favorite movies or shows. I love watching self-comfort shows because it helps me get out of my own head. When I watch shows like Teen Wolf or Grey's Anatomy, I get so focused on the drama in the show that I don't have time to worry about my own drama. Another thing I love to do is sing my favorite songs. You can spend hours listening to old school R&B and songs from old Disney Channel shows and movies. It makes me feel nostalgic and I feel like it relieves stress.
Another good stress reliever could be drawing, writing, or painting. If you're not very artistic, you can also spend some time in nature. Nature at FGCU is a beautiful experience. We are very lucky to have such a beautiful campus with lots of walking trails and areas like the food forest for students to spend time with. According to the American Heart Association, spending time in nature not only reduces stress and anxiety, but can also increase your sense of well-being and overall well-being.
Stress comes and goes, but how you deal with it can help you live a better life. That doesn't mean it's bad to feel stressed, but finding appropriate ways to deal with stress can help you feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally. Take some deep breaths, go for a walk, or spend some time alone. Whatever helps you relieve stress, do it. Spend the time before finals week finding a balance between studying and relaxing. Both are good, but balance is most important.