college student carrying books in her left hand

How to Manage Stress as a College Student

Stress in college students isn’t all that uncommon. After all, during this time, young adults typically live away from home for the first time, have tedious academic demands, and shoulder massive financial responsibilities.

If you’re experiencing college-student stress, you’re not alone. The good news is that you have the power to manage your anxiety.

This article will discuss five ways to address your mental tension. Read on to stop worrying and start living your best college days!

Eat Well

Hand-delivered pizza, fries, and chicken offer unmatched convenience. However, these products will eventually take a toll on your wallet — and your stress levels. Remember, eating too many fried, high-sugar food items will rapidly increase your blood sugar levels, eventually causing physical stress.

The occasional donut should be OK, but you should fill your body with veggies, whole grains, proteins, and fruits most of the time.

Exercise Regularly

If you’re wondering why college students are stressed, think about everything going on in their lives. They often deal with too many tests, work pressure, and social challenges.

If you’re one of these university youngsters, exercising can do wonders for your mood. Even 10 minutes daily should be enough to keep you in tip-top health and a good mental space.

Try walking, biking, or hiking to start your overall health journey. These activities will keep you looking your best and feeling rested while diminishing the effects of stress on college students.

Get Enough Sleep

Ideally, younger adults should get around seven hours of sleep. If you continue living a lifestyle that doesn’t value sleep, you might fall victim to various health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.

No matter how busy life gets, try getting enough shut-eye daily. It’s OK to miss some rest some days, but continuously depriving your body of sleep will leave you feeling stressed all the time.

Learn to Say No

Learning the art of saying no is a beautiful gift to yourself. College is a great time to explore your life options, but it doesn’t mean you have to say yes to every extracurricular activity you cross.

Also, saying no to things you don’t really want to do impacts your mental health positively. After all, it allows you to prioritize yourself and set boundaries.

There’s always a polite way to say no, and perfecting it is essential for stress management for college students.

Determine a Stress Outlet

Stress and college students go together like salt and pepper. However, there’s unfortunately no one-size-fits-all solution to boost your mood.

Instead, you should determine your preferred stress outlet. There are thousands of options available, from talking to your loved ones to taking up a new sport, attending support groups, and more.

Whatever makes you happy, make sure to do more of it.