Dealing with Stress: 25 Tips

By Susan Fee

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College can be stressful because there's so much to deal with: roommates, dating, classes, finances, parents, job interviews, or just life in general. Healthy levels of stress keep us functioning at peak levels, but stress overload makes us shut down. Some signs of too much stress include headaches, stomach cramps, racing heart and/or sweaty palms, irregular sleep patterns, and feeling angry, irritable, or tense.

There are tons of ways people attempt to relax, but not all of them are healthy. Smoking, drinking alcohol or caffeinated drinks, and eating junk food may make you feel good for the moment, but actually cause the opposite effect. Caffeine, nicotine, sugar, and alcohol spike your adrenaline level, but then leaves you feeling drained when it drops. As alternatives, here are twenty-five healthy ways to de-stress and re-energize. These ideas won't change your situation, but they will give you a chance to relax and regroup.

Exercise.
Listen to your favorite music.
Visit a pet store and play with a kitten or puppy.
Read a book for pleasure.
Take a shower.
Rent or go to a movie.
Call a friend.
Go to a park.
Visit a museum.
Blow bubbles.
Go to a ballgame and scream.
Light some candles.
Take a nap.
Plan your spring break or summer vacation. Read the brochures often.
Buy some playdough, balloons, or a Slinky.
Take a yoga class.
Go for a hike.
Read the comics.
Buy some packing bubble wrap and pop all the bubbles.
Play your favorite video game.
Buy a 64-count box of crayons and color.
Get some old vacation posters. Put them up near your bed and daydream.
Release upper body tension by rolling your shoulders forward, up, backward, and down. Repeat several times, and then reverse the roll.
Go to a batting cage.
Make chocolate chip cookies (or just eat the cookie dough).

Susan Fee is a licensed counselor and author of My Roommate is Driving Me Crazy! Solve Conflicts, Set Boundaries, and Survive the College Roommate from Hell (Adams Media, 2005).