Grab a bunch of people who’ve just graduated from college and ask them about their experience. You’d be surprised to notice that each one of them has a completely different opinion to share. While some might claim it to be the most exciting years of their life, some others might declare it as an extremely stressful and overwhelming experience. Even if these people went to the same college, the experience would vary significantly. Have you wondered why? Because each phase of our life and its experiences, depends entirely on our way of dealing with them. The person who enjoyed their college days, would have cracked the perfect formula to deal with whatever struggles they faced. The person who has intense dislike towards their college or their time spent there is a result of their inability to effectively manage their journey.
Most importantly, what we have to understand is that, while in college, one should master the art of striking a balance between academics, co-curricular activities and personal life. Don’t sweat yourself wondering how to do that! We’re here to help you out. We’ve got some tricks to equip you with, before entering the most challenging and thrilling four years of your life! These tips are going to come handy inorder to manage stress and stay healthy in college.
1. Run everyday, not away from your problems:
When you enter college, you’re clouded with a lot of thoughts. The lectures, assignments, fests and a zillion other activities happening simultaneously around you might keep you mentally and physically busy day and night. To calm your mind and body, take some time out of our daily schedule and make it mandatory to go for a run, early in the morning or in the evening according to your convenience. During this time, ponder over your thoughts and clear your mind. Physical activities of any kind generate endorphins in your body, which will keep you energized and positive. So do not laze around in bed, step into those shoes and go for a run daily. Headphones are not recommended!
2. Remind yourself to eat healthy:
Eating junk is fun, till you’re in bed crying over the phone to your mother! We’re not denying your right to have junk food. Food cravings are intolerable, we totally understand your feelings. But it’s important to ensure that you maintain a decent ratio of junk food to healthy food in your diet. If you’re hogging all kinds of unhealthy items without making an effort to consume healthy meals including vegetables and fruits, that’s when the problem arises. Your body needs nutrients to keep you active! You might have studied about it in the 8th standard of your school life, but unless you take it seriously and apply it, the money invested there has gone down the drain. So, eat healthy, include protein rich food in your diet and do not skip a single meal.
3. Devote some time to study :
This might sound like the most uncool trick ever. But it is crucial that you devote a couple of hours in the evening to go through the daily lectures, work on the assignments and projects as required. This trick will reduce your stress to a great extent. When you pile up your work, unlike school, you can’t get it over with in a jiffy, because college work demands a lot more of your time and effort. Stress hinders the healthy functioning of your body! You might not realise it then and there, but gradually you’ll be pushed to that point of realisation and by then, it might be too late.
4. Dark circles and baggy eyes, not cool! :
Do not compromise on your sleep due to any party or project work. Get sleep for a good 7 to 8 hours at night, to remain active and energized all day. Your mind and body will not be able to function properly without a sufficient amount of energy and a good amount of sleep plays a huge role in building that energy. Skipping sleep might seem cool to you when in college, but the baggy eyes and the dark circles that result from the lack of sleep will not make you look cool at all. We guarantee that!
5. Do not indulge in toxic and unhealthy habits :
College is the place where most of the people pick up their toxic habits which hang onto them for the rest of their life. We don’t mean to sound preachy, but smoking, drinking and other habits seem tempting and attractive in the beginning, but in the long run, you’d realise it’s hazardous effects on your health and by the time that realisation strikes you, you’d be severely addicted to it. So avoid the tendency to drown your sorrows in alcohol and escape your moods through smoking, you’ll thank us later. There’s so much more to life than escapism. Trust
yourself to explore them.
Carry these five tips while you embark on this incredible journey, you’ll manage the rest. The best feeling in the world is to make mistakes and figure out things on your own. College is the best place for it. While academics are important, make it a point to savour the other joys of college life too!
