Avoid the Stress monster:

I have recently come out of midterms and am now diving back into classes after a refreshing week of Fall break. Here are some things I really wished I had remembered to avoid stress (once you are in the bouts of said stress, very little can be done to overcome stress without augmenting to the rubbish pile). And hope to practice starting this week!

Notes to self (and to all of you!);

1. Make lists/ [Religiously] keep an agenda

Making lists keeps your mind on paper—this will allow for un-cluttering your consciousness. Keeping an agenda early on in the game[1] really helps you know where you are when and what should be done by that allotted time.

2. Exercise

You will not believe how powerful exercise is until you try it. Since I joined rugby this year (and I am obligated to go to practice three times a week) my stress levels have decreased exponentially and that’s saying something considering my workload.  Achieving a trip to the gym really isn’t that bad once you’re there—it’s the pre-gym contemplating[2] that’ll get you stuck. After a work out, eat then shower. You will feel completely refreshed and ready to work. The other great thing about working out is that when its time to go to bed, you can achieve sleep quicker because your body needs rest more than if you hadn’t exercised.

3. Keep a clean room and do your laundry!

These are two things that always seem to slip me by with time—and before I know it, I have month’s worth of undone laundry and a room cluttered with the things I can never find when I actually need them.  My room essentially turned into Jumanji[3] aftermath. Keeping a clean room allows for you to have a nice place to come back to, that isn’t a stress conductor. Having your laundry means having all your favorite and most comfortable clothes available to you.[4] Having that laundry done also subtracts time from that morning clothes-picking indecision.  ALSO—very these are very important in order to avoid getting creeping crawling things (insects, mice, the like…you know).

4. Take breaks

Do not spend three hours straight staring at the impossible reading you have to do and the paper you can’t even begin to wrap your head around. You are wasting time. I suggest taking breaks every 45 minutes—go outside, go to Uncommon Grounds, get a coffee, take a walk, meet up with a friend for fifteen minutes, and then get back to work. Your productivity will increase if you give it your all in shorter spurts. Its like…academic sprinting…[5]. Meeting up with friends is really encouraging because you can talk about what you’re stuck on, and you’ll also realize that you aren’t the only one struggling.

5. Find a place other than your room to study

Your room should be a sanctuary, a place you come back to for the night—not a room that reminds you of gut wrenching, agonizing stress that smells like a combination of anguish and Cheetos. No, your room should be reserved for relaxing and hanging out. You shouldn’t study in your room if you want to keep a chill vibe in your room—nothing worse than a room that reminds you of all-nighters, and anguish eating. So find a quiet spot in the library—or a common room with good lighting to keep you engaged.

6.  Do not anguish eat (but don’t undereat)

It’s important to keep a balanced diet. Eating too much, especially of the wrong kind of food, guarantees lethargy. Eating too little also will make you feel tired (your body will want to compensate for the lack of energy by sleeping). If you have a tight schedule the best thing to do is get a take-out box from the dining halls. And I know you’ve probably heard it time and time again, but breakfast will make a huge difference in your performance throughout the day. Not only will it keep you engaged, it will also start up your metabolism earlier on in the day[6]. A healthy diet in combination with sleep and exercise also means for a super immune system. Being sick sucks.

7. AVOID ONLINE SOCIAL UTILITIES AT ALL COSTS

Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. What starts off as “just five minutes” turns into forty five minutes of Facebook stalking. If anything these utilities should be a reward—if you finish so much work in so much time, you get this much time of Faceebook or whatever.  Constantly checking your social utilities can really impede your productivity rate. Trust me. I know.

8. Hygiene

Just because you have a lot of work to do does not mean you should disregard your personal hygiene. It’s important that when you walk out for class in the morning that you feel comfortable and presentable. Keeping clean hair and smelling fresh boosts your morale and communicates to others that you are ready for whatever comes your way.[7]

9. E-mail

Check it only so often. Checking e-mail is an easy way to procrastinate under the false pretense of, “Oh! Maybe someone has sent me a really important e-mail!” and then this segways into using social utilities. No one has sent you an important e-mail since ten minutes ago when you first checked your e-mail and your mom will understand if you don’t send her an immediate response.

10. Develop a relationship with your professors

Ask for extensions. Go to office hours. Schedule meetings. These are all crucial to conveying a general message that you are interested and engaged in your classes and your progress as a student. Asking for extensions is a super useful resource weighed under the Noah’s Ark-load-of-work. We are not superheroes—professors will understand if you need more time to complete an assignment, just make sure that you are responsible enough to give your professor a heads up at least a day or two in advanced.

11. Sleep.

A senior last year gave me this advice; Go to sleep at a fixed hour, wake at a fixed hour. When I’ve abided by this, everything else seemed to fall into place. Even if you haven’t finished your work, go to bed at a certain time. You can finish when you’re feeling chipper after a good night’s sleep. Sleep also is a major factor in your appetite and metabolism (I shouldn’t have to mention overall ability to functions as a human being and not a zombie).

12. Mix up your study habits

Entertain your self—make your studying at least seem interesting. Add some color—post-it notes or those crazy midget highlighters. If you can, study with music mix up the genre (I used to hate instrumental jazz/blues….just sayin’). Drink strong teas, or write your papers long hand.[8] Try different techniques that accommodate the way you learn and study and acquire information.

I know that was really long. But trust me.  THIS IS A WINNER’S LIST!