Managing Your Stress Level

Image credit: Pixabay, 2014

We’ve already talked about a couple of methods for preventing stress (effective studying and time management), but how do you handle stress from events out of your control? Relaxation techniques, and devoting time to unwinding is critical to your health. Last semester we provided a quick, cute animal interlude for your amusement. Such distractions (while possibly detrimental to your studying) can be helpful in lowering your acute stress level. Some other activities that can help lower your acute and chronic stress levels:

• Exercise: Regular exercise and physical activity can reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression, and help with pain disorders. Oh, and it’s also good for your heart. So get moving! As Florida Tech students, you have access to the equipment and facilities at the Clemente Center. Make the most of your tuition by hitting up the weights, or by taking a group fitness class.
• Meditation: It isn’t just sitting in a silent room, doing nothing. Meditating or practicing mindfulness is good for you, and there’s evidence for it.
• Crafting: Believe it or not, knitting and crochet are good for your brain. Oh, and gentlemen? Crafting isn’t just for the ladies. Don’t feel that you’re just limited to the yarn-y arts; paint, draw, sew, do whatever floats your boat!
• Gaming: While we’re not giving you permission to blow off writing your paper in favor of playing League of Legends, we are telling you that it’s okay to play in moderation, because gaming is good for you. No, seriously.

So, that’s it! Much of this may have seemed like common sense, and it probably was. But we hope that you take some of these tips to heart, or at least keep them in mind while traversing the turbulent waters of academia.