DormCo Lounge

Great Ways To De-Stress In College

Alexis Dent

We all know how stressful college can be. From tough classes, to hard practices, as well as balancing extracurricular activities, fun on the weekends, and dealing with friends, college students have a lot on their plates.

Here are some great de-stressing ideas for you to try out when things get tough:

1. The Fitness Center – Chances are that your school has a great fitness center and gym facility. Some schools even have multiple gyms! Hundreds of thousands (and even millions) of dollars are invested in keeping your school’s gym up-to-date, so take advantage of that! Working out releases endorphins, which is your body’s all-natural way to keep you happy and energized! Wave ‘bye-bye’ to that energy drink and say ‘hello’ to the treadmill! Not only will you be happier and more relaxed, but working out consistently will also help ward off the troublesome Freshman 15!

2. Join a club! – Whether the club focuses on a love of shopping, your addiction to Call of Duty, or on volunteering with the less fortunate, joining a club is always a great idea! Not only will it relieve some stress to be around your peers (and potential friends) that have the same interests as you, but in the case of volunteering, oftentimes you’ll realize that maybe your life isn’t so tough after all. Bonus: it looks great on a resume and internship applications to show that you’ve been actively involved, and potentially even an executive member, for a club throughout college.

3. Go to your favorite restaurant – venture into town (or the city!) with some friends for a great meal at one of your favorite restaurants. Your body will enjoy the break from dining hall food, and your mind will enjoy the break from the campus setting. Just be sure not to rely on this de-stressing method too much, or I will have to refer you back to method number 1.

4. Celebrate!!! – It’s never a bad thing to celebrate when you’re doing well! Hey, getting an ‘A’ on that paper for your political science class was no easy feat! Whether you like to celebrate by going out with your crew on the weekend, hitting up the bowling alley with your friends, or hey, even having a marathon of your favorite TV show, celebrating your accomplishments is never a bad thing. That is, unless you celebrate too much and end up stressed all over again!

5. Sleep – When all else fails, getting some good ‘ole shuteye will always rejuvenate you! Even if you have to skip all the methods above and go straight to catching Z’s, it’s worth it. As college students we have so much to do in so little time; sometimes there’s nothing more relaxing than doing…nothing. Taking a nap or catching an extra hour or two of sleep at night will come in handy and ensure that you’re not too drained to keep up with school!

When college life gets hectic and you begin to lose focus or motivation, you can always rely on the methods mentioned above to rejuvenate and de-stress you. As you go through your college years I’m sure you’ll find a ton of other ways that are great in relaxing you even amidst the craziest times. While your first priority in college should always be school, too much of anything is bad news. Stay focused, well balanced, and dedicated, and you should be fine.