Written by Eric (he/him), student
Dealing with stress can be stressful on its own. You have to figure out how to cope with it while also looking for ways to eliminate it, not to mention dealing with the thing that鈥檚 actually causing the stress.
Whether you're in high school, college, or university, stress can become a big part of your life. There鈥檚 the stress of balancing friends, family, and other commitments; having enough money; and maintaining good grades. Fortunately, there are many ways to deal with stress! Below I鈥檝e compiled a list of ways that I鈥檝e dealt with stress in the past, as well as other methods you can try.
Get enough sleep
A lot of the stress is the result of a lack of sleep. Just like your body, your brain also gets tired. By making sure that your brain is well-rested, you鈥檒l be able to avoid the risk of being overtired and not being able to think properly while writing a paper late at night.
The ideal amount of sleep you鈥檙e supposed to get (for someone aged 17 to 24)聽. Napping is also a good way of getting the rest you need 颅鈥 even a short nap of about 26 minutes will do the trick (you can read more about the聽.)
Practise self-care
Taking care of yourself is another important and effective way to deal with stress. Practising methods that will make you happy or calm you down in certain situations are valuable and can really help you keep from feeling overwhelmed.
For some people, this can mean taking a hot bubble bath, watching an episode of your favourite TV show, or eating a healthy snack. My favourite thing to do is watch a video on YouTube. This works for me mainly because I can limit myself to one video that usually doesn't take up more than 15 minutes.
Clare, a third-year math student, likes to do something to聽first work off nervous energy and then relax. "It sounds silly but usually I dance and then I sleep. Maybe it鈥檚 not that practical, but it definitely helps!"
Some other techniques I鈥檝e used include listening to music and doing things like drawing or colouring to help process what I鈥檓 feeling. These tactics help put me in a good mood and relax for a little while.
Exercise
This may not be everyone鈥檚 favourite, but I can say from experience that it does work. Whether you prefer to lift weights, run, go on long walks, or just do push-ups in your room, exercising has a number of positive effects. Not only does it make you physically stronger, but it can help clear your mind. Also, it releases聽聽which can reduce stress, help you feel more positive, and regulate your appetite.
Speaking of appetite, make sure you鈥檙e giving your body healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, rather than junk food. While the latter might taste good, it doesn鈥檛 benefit you in the long run. The average teenager should have up seven to eight servings of fruit and vegetables per day.
Aujas, a fourth-year Faculty of Environment student says, 鈥渁ny physical exercise 鈥 like taking the stairs, never elevators 鈥撀爓ill give you a short workout and help lower your stress level.鈥 I relate to this as well and it鈥檚 always something I do before an exam or audition.
Make a to-do list
A really good way to stay on top of all your assignments and responsibilities is to take everything just one step at a time. Often, I鈥檒l get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of everything that I have to do. So instead of freaking out, I make a list of everything I need to do, and I check things off as I finish them. In doing this, I turn all my big tasks into a number of smaller tasks, so they鈥檙e less daunting and more manageable.
Also, make sure you know your own limits because taking on too many things can result in added stress. Make sure you do a quick 鈥渕ental health check鈥 (by this I simply mean taking a minute to assess your physical and emotional health) before taking on extra tasks.
When I approach my to-do list this way, I feel like I get a lot more accomplished, and I鈥檓 not as overwhelmed as when I鈥檓 trying to finish everything at once. This technique has really helped me, and I know it works well for some of my friends, too. I鈥檇 encourage you to try it!
Check out university resources
When you start university or college next fall, it鈥檚 likely that at some point you鈥檒l deal with stress in one way or another. Fortunately, at 蓝莓视频 there are a number of different resources that can help you de-stress and cope with everything you have going on.
蓝莓视频鈥檚 Faculty of Arts plans an end-of-term de-stress event. This term it included ornament decorating, cookie decorating, pizza, and even a visit from therapy dogs! This event comes at the end of the semester when everyone has exams and assignments and stress levels are high, which makes it the perfect time for an event like this.
In fact, every faculty has their own de-stressing events during exams breaks! The Faculty of Health has a Therapy Farm, which brings in different animals as a petting zoo for students. And the Faculty of Engineering puts on a Purple Pancake Breakfast with free pancakes! On top of this, there are year-round events across campus for de-stressing, like anxiety workshops and yoga.
Another very important resource is counselling. Sometimes stress levels can become dangerous and affect our physical and mental health. When this happens, it鈥檚 important to talk to someone, especially if you feel stuck or helpless. Stress is common, but it鈥檚 not something to take lightly.聽While you鈥檙e in high school, talking with your guidance counsellor or parents can be a good place to start.
If I鈥檓 feeling stressed, I like to talk it out with my friends and family. They can help me get perspective and come up with a game plan to deal with what I鈥檓 feeling. Most universities also have聽counselling services聽on campus, so that鈥檚 something to look forward to.
But while you鈥檙e in high school, talking with your guidance counsellor or parents can be a good place to start. There鈥檚 also聽聽for young people in Canada to find support for whatever you may be going through.
It鈥檚 always important to take care of yourself and ensure you鈥檙e feeling healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally. Discovering what your best methods for coping with stress are will go a long way. And of course, always remember you鈥檙e not alone and there are resources to help you deal and cope with your stress.
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