College: the good ‘ole education that gives you a forefront into the big and scary adult world. Going to college is some of the best four years of your life, but it can also be the most stressful four years you’ve ever had to go through.

     There is a lot of work that goes into being a college student and sometimes, or should I say most of the time, the stress can get extremely overwhelming. Here are few tips to try if you are feeling very stressed and want to relax from the adult responsibilities.

1. Just breathe. Take a few deep breaths when you are trying to cram for an exam or write a three-page paper that is due in two hours. Deep breaths can help calm your adrenaline down and allow for your mind and body to suddenly relax. Think of calming things, breathe slowly, take a minute to get your thoughts together, and then get back to work.
2. Eat away your stress. We’ve all been there. You eat so much food because you’re stressed about something and then you feel guilty for all the food you ate, but it was good so then you don’t feel as bad anymore. Food is a major comfort and can help you de-stress. Eating away all your stress sounds like a good time to me, especially if there is ice-cream involved; ice cream can solve all the world’s problems.
3. Play soothing music. Listening to music is also a good way to relax. In any situation, music can help you release whatever you may be feeling. So, put on some soft jazz or classical music and get lost in the serenity that takes you to another world free from stress. Listening to rain falling or ocean waves is also very relaxing as well.
4. Take a nap. What college student doesn’t love to take a nap? Naps are life and sleeping is another way to really relax. Honestly, one of the best ways that I can relax from stress is to sleep it off. You can dream of sunshine and rainbows and feel at your most calm when you are napping, just make sure you don’t oversleep or choose to nap instead of doing your work, which always extremely tempting.
5. Take a walk or a drive. I don’t know about you, but I love to take drives that have no destination. You just drive however far you want and you can blast your music and clear your head. Besides the shower, I get some of my best thoughts when driving. You can also take a walk and walk off your frustrations and stress so when you come back you can feel rejuvenated.
6. Spend time with your friends. Being around people with positive vibes always helps when trying to relax or get away from negative stress energy. Your friends can help you relax because they’re another support system and can make things fun if you need something to do. Chilling with your besties and listening to music or watching movies or stuffing your face with junk food is a great way to relax and spend some quality time with each other if you are feeling social.

     College can be a difficult thing to navigate, but when you find yourself in stressful situations and need to relax, try these ways. Or if you find your own way to relax that is not mentioned, by all means do that.

     There are so many ways to relax and these are just a few out of the hundreds that can be done. You do whatever you need to do to relax and know that the stress will go away and won’t last forever. Sometimes it feels like it will never end, but things will get better and all this stress will be worth it in the end. You also need to relax as much as you can now because you’re probably not going to get as much relaxation when you are out being a real adult.