I stress a lot, and I’m sure you stress a lot too. Depending on where you are in your life, you might be really good at managing your stress, maybe even better than me. But if you’re terrible at it, here is some actual, practical advice from a college senior on managing stress through school. These lists typically can be a bit preachy and unrealistic so I am going to give the honest and best advice that I can that is still practical for the average student to understand.

Eat consistently

Eating is an incredibly difficult thing for college students to do for numerous reasons. Cost, social pressures, eating disorders and being overworked all make eating somewhat difficult for college students. That being said, you have to make it work for yourself. Eating three meals a day consistently is one of the best things that you can do for your mental health.

Therapy

Therapy is hard. It can be difficult to get an appointment and even more challenging to pay for. But therapy is one of the best resources that there is for your mental health. If you were having serious problems with your spine, you would go see an orthopedic surgeon. If you were having an issue with your brain, you should see someone. And if you don’t click with that therapist right away, be patient and try other options. It can take some time to connect with someone and open up to them.

Drink less alcohol

Whether we like it or not, alcohol is quintessentially linked with college. No matter how much universities try to stop it, students are always, always going to drink alcohol. (I personally feel as though the stigma surrounding alcohol and drug use inadvertently encourages young people to consume more alcohol and drugs than they typically would, but that is an argument for another time). Drinking alcohol increases your anxiety after the fact, it affects your GABA receptors directly. By drinking responsibly, you can avoid future panic attacks and unnecessary hangovers.

Exercise

Going to the gym can be intimidating, especially if you don’t have experience. But exercising is incredibly mentally rewarding. If you don’t know where to start, the university offers group classes from time to time and there is a litany of videos and tutorials online for getting started working out in a gym. 

If the gym isn’t your forte, then you should try running. Running through the city is wonderful — aside from great exercise, you’ll see some lovely sights and if you aren’t super familiar with the wider downtown area beyond campus then running is a great way to get your bearings.

Meditation

One of the only things more daunting than starting at the gym is starting meditation. While you can figure out a treadmill on your own, you can’t figure out your mind on your own. For beginners, guided meditations are best. Don’t worry about downloading an app or making a huge commitment, just type in “guided meditation for anxiety” on YouTube and click the first one that looks good to you. Meditation can take a long time to get comfortable with and to excel at, but long term it can be incredibly beneficial to your mental health.