Managing Life Challenges
All of us will experience challenging events during our lives and college can be a particularly stressful time for many students. With balancing new schedules, attending to studies, and meeting new people, it all can feel like too much to bear. Here is a list of ideas for coping with stress:
- Integrating regular exercise into your daily activities is an effective way to manage stress and stay healthy.
- Eat regular meals, get adequate sleep, and avoid caffeine and refined sugar.
- Structure your time, keep busy, and keep your life as normal as possible.
- Talk to people you trust– talk is the most healing medicine.
- Spend your time with people you trust.
- If you find you are avoiding your feelings with drugs or alcohol, disordered eating, porn addiction, or obsessing about this or that, talk to a counselor.
- Help your peers by sharing feelings and checking out how they are doing.
- Give yourself permission to feel whatever it is that you are feeling, and talk about your feelings with others.
- Keep a journal and “write your way through” those sleepless hours.
- Do things that rekindle your spirits – perhaps its being in nature, practicing yoga, baking up something yummy to share, or skyping with an old friend.
- Table any big life decisions if you can. Now is not the time to make any big changes in your life.
If you'd like to talk to a counselor, don't hesitate to set up an appointment.
