Briana Alberghini ‘21
Editor in Chief
With the stress of final exams, finally being able to move out of our dorms rooms, and living in the middle of a pandemic, it is safe to say most of our stress levels are higher than normal. Although these tips are not guaranteed to make your stress disappear forever, they might help for a few minutes, which is sometimes all you need.
- Listen to music. Step away from whatever you are doing and put on your favorite song. It is almost guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
- Drink some tea. Caffeine is known to make people anxious, but if you still need caffeine try green tea the next time you are feeling stressed. Green tea has theanine in it, which is an amino acid that has a calming effect on the nervous system.
- Exercise. Even if you dance around your room for 5 minutes, you will begin to feel less stressed. Exercising is known to release endorphins, which will improve your mood instantly.
- Light your favorite candle. Something about a candle burning is so calming. Essential oils in candles will especially help to calm you down.
- Write down how you are feeling. Keeping everything bottled up inside isn’t healthy. When you find yourself stressed, write down why you are feeling this way. It is also a great idea to write down something that makes you happy or something you are grateful for in order to remind you of the positive things in your life.
- Call a friend. Just because we can’t see our friends right now, doesn’t mean we can’t call them! Talking out how you are feeling with someone who truly gets you is sometimes all you need.
- Watch a few episodes of your favorite show. Of course, this is for when you have a little free time on your hands. But, watching something that gives you joy is bound to put a smile on your face and help you to relax. (P.S. I recommend watching “Dead to Me”on Netflix)
- Take a deep breath. I feel like this is something we all hear, but it seriously works. Deep breathing helps slow your heart rate, which allows you to feel more peaceful.
- Hug a loved one. Giving someone a hug can help release oxytocin and lower cortisol. This can help lower blood pressure and heart rate, both of which are physical symptoms of stress. (If you are going to hug someone, please make sure it is someone you have been in quarantine with!)
- Don’t procrastinate. This is easier said than done, but don’t put off studying for your finals until the last minute. Stay on top of what needs to get done, and have a running list of your “daily to-dos.”
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so I just want to encourage you to please take care of yourself during this time. It is not selfish and we all need to do it. Above all, you are doing way better than you think right now. Times are hard, you don’t need to be even harder on yourself. Stay well and stay healthy.
