3 Ways to de-stress rolling into the new semester
Ah, in the era of 10-page term papers and rigorous exam study periods, it can be difficult to find time to take care of yourself and decompress. Stress is something that is inevitable, even when we try not to stress about things, we can’t help but to stress. But, we can find healthy ways to cope and de-stress during the tough times. Here are a few of my ultimate ways to de-stress:
Journaling
If you find your mind decluttered with thoughts, sit down and write how you’re feeling to understand and unpack your feelings. Stress can cause you to feel a little off emotionally and it’s important that we try to bring ourselves back to a stable emotional state. Journaling can be beneficial in gaining a peace of mind, and also just releasing your emotions and stressors.
Meditation
Meditating can seem a little intimidating at first, especially if you’ve never done it before. The goal of meditation is to clear your mind of the things that are bothering you, so you have to ground yourself and center yourself to release any negative emotions. This can be very difficult if you have a wandering mind like I do. I recommend the app, “Headspace.” it’s a free app that has many guided and time meditations to bring you to full zen!
Pleasure Padding
I know, the title seems a little strange, but this method is honestly great. Pleasure padding is when you give yourself time out of the day to do things you enjoy, while also making time to handle your responsibilities. For example, if I know I need to study for an upcoming test, before I study, I may plan to eat my favorite meal or watch one of my favorite shows. This gives us a sense of autonomy, and helps us not feel like we are only locked into our responsibilities.
If you find yourself stressed out this semester, please try some of these methods to help you unclutter your mind and grant you peace and serenity!