For the most part, I think I am really good at managing
stress and the craziness of my everyday life.
When I think about what my average day is like, it is jam packed with
events that you would think would be completely overwhelming yet I rarely am. The craziness of my schedule has become so
familiar that I don’t even think about it.
A typical week for me looks like
this: two hour Enactus presentation practices everyday, work at 6am on
Thursday, work afternoon/evenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays, project meetings
with small groups, leadership responsibilities of a student organization,
managing 17 credits, oh and don’t forget I need to squeeze in some sort of
social life in there and on top of it all, this week was midterm. This week I could tell that I could easily hit
my breaking point. I realized this after last week when:
- I wore sweatpants to class everyday. Those of you, who know me, know that this is a big deal.
- I found that the kitchen counter is a comfortable place to lay for awhile.
- I unconsciously made peanut butter toast after I had already eaten lunch. It wasn’t until my second bite where I realized I made toast and didn’t even want it or remember why I decided to make it in the first place.
In order to
avoid the average college student break down full of tears, the “I can’t do
this”, “I am dropping out of college” sayings, and the feeling like my life is over. I came up with some humorous ways to cope with my stress.
CAUTION:
Some of the things you are about to read are strange and I know that it
is. Don’t judge. Either relate, or just
laugh.
- I find it amusing to tell my roommate Ashley that I can’t understand her accent until she speaks to me in a British accent.
- I literally danced my way to my car this morning at 5:30am. (The Man by Aloe Blacc gets me pumped.)
- I enjoy ranting about the things I am learning or studying at the time. This week I was extremely upset with China's occupation in Tibet. I gave my roommate, Rachel an anger driven history lesson.
- I have no shame in what I send on Snap Chat. What you see is what you get.
- Today I tried 5 Hour Energy for the first time because I only got 2 hours of sleep last night. Wow, does that stuff work! I don't think I have ever been so hyperactive. Just ask anyone in my advertising management class. Whew, that was an interesting presentation I gave.
This is
just a glimpse into the crazy things I do to cope with my stress. I could list several
other things, but you probably would be concerned about my mental
wellbeing…or maybe you already are.
Overall my
secret to dealing with stress is to choose happiness, be positive, and to laugh
at myself. I also remind myself of how fortunate I am to have the education and
opportunities that I have and there is no reason I should complain about them. So next time you want to complain or are
overwhelmingly stressed, take time to do a dance, make a joke, or remind yourself of how blessed you are to
have the things you do.
Gosh, I can relate to so much of your post. This semester I have felt so overwhelmed and stressed. I have the least amount of credits since my four years here, but definitely the most work load thus far. Guess that's what happens when I am about to graduate in two months. I too am crazy busy staying involved in campus activities. I have a leadership position in 6 clubs, a part-time job, and 14 credits. I also never wear sweatpants to class, so I can relate to that. You make a valid point though, when you are stressed remember how fortunate you are and choose to stay positive and remember to laugh. Good tips! Good luck with the rest of your semester and hopefully you can relax and de-stress over spring break!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're very involved in some things at school as well as with work. I also have a hectic schedule with school, work, and softball. Sometimes, I seriously want to just curl up in a ball and cry. But, I know I can't do that because instead I need to get things done. Unfortunately, I don't have a social life until the weekends, and that's about to end because we'll play every weekend. But, it's important for me to remember to just have fun with life and to not get so hung up on school work for once. I need to just relax and keep in mind that I'm only in college once so I need to live up what I have left of it. I really like your tips on relieving stress...do a dance, laugh, and think about how blessed you are. I'm definitely going to keep those in mind! Good luck with the rest of the semester...be positive!!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I totally can relate to this as well (even though I don't really have a part-time job in Marshall). I definitely think that I could use some of your advice on de-stressing myself such as a dance I come up with, or to create humor of myself by thinking that my life is a sitcom (and it is anyways). Hope you get to have fun with your next 7 and a half weeks left of the spring semester (can you believe this year went by so fast??).
ReplyDelete