Many people have stressful and eventful lifestyles. Sometimes it feels like you have a never-ending to-do list for school, organizations, and even personal life. In those times, the chances of quitting one or more of those things get bigger and bigger. You work so hard when it seems like the finish line and the instant gratification of completing those tasks are nowhere to be seen. Don’t forget: you are dealing with personal issues that are also negatively affecting your ability to do your best – preventing you from achieving your full potential.
How do you cope with the stress? Saying, “it be like that sometimes” is not going to cut it. Not only is it a temporary fix, we all know that suppressing emotions is not healthy for you or the people around you. You could argue that it is free so that means it is your only option unless you want to complain on Twitter, or Facebook if you are feeling fancy.
All jokes aside, how do you manage, what feels like, the chaos around you? My first suggestion is to find at least one friend who you can confide in. This person should make you feel welcoming. You should never feel like a bother or an inconvenience to them – as long as you respect their boundaries as well. Someone who is willing to understand you, even when they don’t relate already. A person you trust. Of course, you must reciprocate those qualities as well.
Sometimes, great friends don’t come easy. What is the next step? There are people all over campus that are ready to help. Not ready to go to a professional? Your RA is equipped to help as much as they can. Shoot yours a text and see when you both are available to talk.
If you would like, AC offers counseling services. They welcome appointments (preferably) and walk-ins 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. They keep everything confidential unless you are a minor. Everything you need to know is on AC’s website under “Counseling Services”. Here is the best part: it’s free!
Time management is crucial to a busy life. Don’t forget to stay organized with a planner, calendar, sticky notes, anything that works for you. Stay on top of everything as much as you can and don’t procrastinate!
Another thing, it is most definitely possible to overwork yourself. Unfortunately, you can’t do everything you want to. If you feel like it is becoming too much, scale back a little bit. Sit down and figure out which organization/job is most important and beneficial to you and go from there. However, when times start to feel stressful, try to push through before you completely let go of a club or organization.
A few things to keep in mind: Take a deep breath and try to focus on the task at hand. Never forget your self-worth and appreciate the people close to your heart. There are people around you who support you and I promise this is not the end.
You can do this! Classes can be rough, time can seem like it’s never enough, and maybe your social life has come to a halt, but you can push through!
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