Reducing Stress as a Student

The end of the semester is approaching fast for college students and that means finals and the stress of getting home for the holidays is looming. Feeling like there are a million things to do can make it hard to relax, leading to more stress and lower productivity. Too much stress has many psychological and even physical side effects. This can include increased irritability, headaches, insomnia, and many more.

This leads to the question of how someone can help reduce stress and reduce these negative side effects. While it may feel counterproductive in the moment, sometimes the best thing can be to take a break. Taking a moment to separate yourself from your schoolwork, or whatever it is that is creating stress, can help relax your mind. Some relaxation tactics could include watching your favorite movie, going for a walk, or calling a friend.

Starting to practice mindfulness can be overwhelming, especially when you have never done it before. There are many variations on mindfulness, however, the basic premise is this:

1. Find a quiet space where you won’t be interrupted – for college kids this could be a moment when your roommate is in class, a study room, or even an empty stairwell
2. Find a comfortable position lying or sitting down so that part of your body is touching the floor
3. The next part can be changed based on preferences – you could go through each muscle in your body taking a moment to tense your muscles with an inhale and then relax them with an exhale or you could go through each part of your body and make yourself aware of all the physical sensations your experiences

While this can seem silly at first or feel like a waste of time, taking the time to connect your mind with your surroundings can help bring your mind to the present moment and help reduce the overwhelming thoughts of what’s to come.

This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA Law Group specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.