How to Deal With Stress During The Study?
Almost every student has to deal with their stress during university life. Tests, exams, writing diploma, not to mention worrying about the future.
Next week starts the first session this year. For freshmen it will be their first session ever, their first university exams. I live with two first-year students in dormitory. The girls are nervous as hell! They keep asking me about my university experience, how to pass exams and stop worrying. Discussing this with them, I thought about how many students are dealing with stress right now. Study in HSE can be hard, and it’s important to stay calm which safe your nervous system.
I have prepared for you some very easy tips and advices how to deal with stress.
Try to calm down
Yes, it sounds really predictable, but you can’t fight your stress, if you don’t calm down. Find out what happened in your organism. What is happening with your breath? Do your hands become wet? Do you feel pain in your stomach? Stress can be so strong, that it can affect your health. As soon as you find out your stress symptoms, it will be easier for you to calm down.
Find out the source of your stress. Is it some person make your nervous? Or place? Or situation? When you find it, try not to judge yourself. You’re nervous, it’s natural. You find the source, so you can realize that you can find the resolution for your situation.
Take a deep breath. Diaphragmatic breathing starts the process of relaxation in your organism. So, before exams or test, you should take 3 or 4 deep breath.
Ask for help. If you have a specifically difficult situation, don’t be shy to talking with someone about it. It can be your parents, friends, classmates, teachers or you can ask for help psychologist.
Train to stop your stream of thoughts. Stress can cause chaotic stream of thoughts, which in its turn just make you feel even more nervous. It’s really familiar for me, for example, when I’m thinking too much while looking for a job. So, you need to “turn off” your attention and try to rest.
Try to move away from situation. Mentally and physically – listening to music, watching your favorite TV-show, walking, maybe going to movie, cinema or café. It also can be very useful, when you have your “safe place”, where you can be alone.
Time-management
Compile your own schedule.
Try to organize your time: everyday you need time to daily duties, study and recreation. You can feel very nervous, if you feel that you don’t have enough time.
Clean your desk.
Your workplace should be comfortable, so that you can concentrate on your study.
Don’t wait till the deadline.
It can be very stressful, if you prepare for your exams the night before the big day or you write your diploma in the last week of deadline. Try to organize your time. If it’s a test or exam, distribute your time for preparing prior at least 2 weeks; if it’s writing a diploma – you should write it during the whole year, not just last month.
Distribute your attention
Learn to say “No”. Many people just can’t say “No”, when someone asking them for favor. I understand them: they just don’t want to seem rude. But it’s important to live independent from others. And sometimes you spend too much time helping others, and in the end, you don’t have time for completing your tasks.
Decide which tasks are important and which are not.
Set achievable short-term goals. If you set goals that you can really achieve, there will be less reason to worry.
Understand how you feel. If you do not know how to control your feelings, you are more prone to stress than those people who feel and understand their unpleasant emotions. You should analyze your feelings daily.
Healthy Life Style
Go in for sports. As a result of research, physical exercises allow you to deal with stress and have a positive effect on the ability to concentrate and learn. Choose a kind of sport that you like and try to give it time every day. It can be jogging, yoga, dancing, aerobics – everything!
Plan relaxing activities. Even if you are very nervous, take the time to plan something that will help you dealing with stress and you will get distracted. Walking, a warm foam bath or daily meditation will help you stay calm.
Laughing. Laughter is one of the best ways to deal with stress. Half an hour watching your favorite comedy series or a movie will help you relax.
Get enough sleep. If you are depressed, you are likely to sleep less than necessary. Most people need at least 8 hours of sleep per day and some even more. A continuous stream of new thoughts or thoughts about the same thing that causes your stress can prevent you from getting enough sleep.
Eat right. Often due to stress people start eating too much high-calorie foods and foods that contain a lot of sugar and/or fat. However, poor nutrition provokes increased stress, which forces you to buy even more junk food, and this leads to weight gain. Watch your diet and eat foods high in nutrients and fiber. Also, try to avoid alcohol and coffee. I know, it’s hard for students, but trust me – it will be better for your health.
Text by Kamilia Safiullina