Guest Post: Dealing With Stress in College

I’m Ellen, author of the fashion and lifestyle blog, A Pop of Pink! I’m from Pennsylvania, and I’m a rising senior at the University of Pittsburgh. A few things I love are iced coffee, monograms, Reese Witherspoon movies, and the beach. The inspiration to create my blog came from a passion for writing, an infatuation with the color pink, and a love for fashion.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about college and life after college since this year will be full of big changes for me. I know many of you might be in the same boat as me, or perhaps you’ll be starting college in the fall.

I think one of the biggest adjustments with going away to college is figuring out how to handle it all. You’ll probably feel overwhelmed more often than not, and I’m here to tell you that that is totally normal. When you start to feel the pressure getting to you, remember these tips for how to deal with stress in college:

1.    Ask for help. Whether it’s a professor, counselor, parent, or friend. Don’t be afraid to voice your problems and feelings. It takes guts to ask a professor for help, but the sooner you do, the sooner he/she can help you. And it will show you care about doing well in his/her class. Counselors and advisors can help you cope with stress and connect you to other campus resources that may be able to assist you.

2.    Manage your time. Don’t let your work pile up. Avoid procrastinating as much as possible. This may seem difficult, but school will be much easier when you can take your time.

3.    Plan it out. If you don’t know where to begin, start by making a to-do list. This way, you’ll have everything you need to get done written down in one place. Check tasks off as you accomplish them so you can see that you’re making strides.

4.    Get a healthy amount of sleep. Sophomore year I had a lot of trouble sleeping. I had to go see a counselor (reread tip #1). When I got tips for how to sleep and maintain a sleep schedule, I was much less stressed. Probably because I wasn’t tired! I highly recommend avoiding all-nighters. Loading up on caffeine and cramming in chapter after chapter will only make you exhausted.

5.    Don’t overcommit. Especially freshman year, you may feel the need to join every club on campus. Find a few clubs that match your interests, rather than committing to everything. Otherwise, you’ll have no time between class and activities to study.

6.    Make time for fun. College is supposed to be fun! Don’t forget that! If you’re feeling stressed, go on a coffee date with your friends or take a Zumba class. You’ll have a whole new attitude and outlook on school if you find a healthy balance between academics and fun.

7.    Breathe. What they say about always feeling better after three deep breaths is true. Try it.

I hope you found these tips to be helpful! Even after three years under my belt, I still get stressed and anxious. But I promise that the good times far outweigh a few bad days. Any questions, feel free to contact me at ellen.borza@gmail.com.