Freshman Five: Dealing With Stress

Summed up, this is one of my favorite cheesy cliches that I will, more often than not, be overheard quoting. Life can get really crazy, really quickly. Sometimes it's great! Staying on top of classes feels easy. Balancing homework and practices are a breeze. You have a blast at every event you go to and you're always making more amazing friends. Memories are being made left and right, and you feel as if you could do anything. Other days, it can feel absolutely awful. You wake up late. Fall asleep in class. Forgot about a homework assignment. 

The list goes on and on and on.

We all have bad days. We all have downright horrible days. But, where would we be if we let those less-than-terrific days get the best of us? The past week has been really stressful for me, with so many different things going on with, for, and around me! Here are a few tips about how to get out of that scary cave of stress:

Make It Out // See if you're able to get an idea of what the root of your problems is. It's completely okay if you can't - sometimes you know exactly what is stressing you out, and sometimes it takes time. Admitting you are stressed and/or worried is the first step (haha) to helping yourself. Saying you're just tired and need to power through is not always the best way to deal with your problems.

Talk It Out // My friends have seriously been the best people in the world. Em has been a godsend with chocolate, candy, and plenty of hugs and sage advice. Theatre Geek distracted me with his "big brotherness" and news that he got a lead after his first *real* musical theatre audition! I am so proud of him and can't wait to see him shine on that stage. Best friends are absolutely amazing because they know just how to help you - a beautiful mixture of comfort and distraction.

Walk It Out // I love walks. Theatre Geek makes fun of me because I choose to walk to all of my classes rather than biking or longboarding. Walks can be so peaceful and relaxing! They force you to pay more attention to your surroundings as well as to your own thoughts. Sometimes you can find another route you've never seen and find interesting little buildings and attractions along the way. We all have those days where we want to curl up into a ball and just stay there, but walks are a great way to take the edge off "bed withdrawal" when you're stressed out about everything you still need to do.

Work It Out // After you have relaxed a bit (whether it be after an hour or a few days), you have a better head to analyze the problem. Do you need to be more organized and prioritize better? How do you tell a team member they need to participate more? What can you do to help yourself from failing a difficult class? Whatever the problem is, sit down with a blank sheet of paper and your favorite pen. Just write. Write what you feel. Write what needs to be done. Write for about five minutes then stop.

Breathe It Out // When you put that pen down, close your eyes and take a few deep breathes. Visualize yourself pushing out all of the tension and negativity from your body. Open your eyes and take a look at everything you wrote on the paper. Take out a fresh sheet of paper and begin organizing your thoughts. When you're done, crumple up the original paper and shoot a nice "Paper Toss"-esque basket. Throwing away the messy paper of thoughts is not only a metaphor for throwing your troubles away, but is a nice little thing to do to make yourself smile.

Life can get pretty crazy, so it's all about figuring out how to weather the hills and potholes you encounter on the ride. How do you deal with stress? Let me know! I would love to hear about other tips!

xx
Catch you next time