Are you stressed about an exam? Do you have a conflict with some friends or roommate? Did you receive a grade you weren’t hoping for? Do you feel like you have no time for yourself? Does your life feel cluttered or unorganized?

If you are currently a college student, like myself, you probably experienced a considerable amount of stress. Here are some ways to cope with whatever it is that may be triggering your stress:

Get enough sleep. Sleep is extremely important for everyone.
You’ve probably heard this already from a family member or advice from a friend on how to deal with stress and they’re right.

• The average amount of recommended sleep is 7-8 hours. If you keep a consistent sleep schedule, you’ll notice two things: you’ll feel less tired and you will find yourself in a much better mood.

• Getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep will certainly not change everything nor completely remove stress from your life, but it will help with handling it.

Make a detailed schedule.

• A schedule that includes all due dates for assignments, plans with friends, doctor appointments, etc. will keep you organized, making you feel less stressed.

• Color coding is a way to visually separate personal plans/appointments with school-related plans. For example, on my calendar I use a blue marker for my work schedule, a red marker for anything school-related and a black marker for plans with friends or chores I have to do each day.

• Making a detailed and updated schedule each month will prepare you for each day.

Many of us try to keep track of all the assignment due dates with other plans going on in our personal lives. Unfortunately, in most cases, it causes a lot of stress because we simply cannot keep track of everything.

Plan alone time.

• It’s nice to plan time for yourself. You could go to the library, find a private study room, or anywhere that you can be alone.

• This will give you time to relax and focus on school work in a quiet setting, away from distractions.

• The amount of social interactions at school and/or work can cause stress, so finding a quiet space where you can be alone is smart to do once in awhile.

Keep your living space clean and organized.

• Take a look at your dorm room or apartment: Are there clothes on the floor? Water bottles by your bedside? Food wrappers?

• It’s very stressful to run around all day and come home to a messy apartment or dorm room.

• It’s understandable to be a little messy in college when you’re trying to balance your time with friends, homework, dinner plans, etc. but it’s important to clean up at least once or twice a week.

• It’s helpful to start by picking a specific day to clean by emptying garbage cans, dusting your shelves, vacuuming, etc. to get used to a weekly routine.

Find time to exercise.

• The weekends are usually your getaway to catch up on laundry, go out with friends, sleep-in, or stay in and study for an important exam. However, the weekend is also a time to find a gym or space to exercise.

• It’s important to exercise because it obviously keeps you active and healthy. But, it also reduces stress.

• Exercise could also include signing up for yoga classes or doing it right in your living space. Yoga is another form of exercise that involves physical poses which relaxes your mind and body.

• Going to the gym or doing exercises at home can help get your frustrations out. This includes going for a walk around campus, running, weight lifting, etc.

Have a positive mindset.

• A positive mind can take you much further than a negative mind, for sure.

• A positive way of thinking can help with problem solving skills and reduce the risk of depression or sadness.

• If you find yourself stressed and can’t think of what to do first; Positive thinking is key. Rather than thinking about all your assignments, plan out a positive way to pace yourself and have a good attitude about it. It makes a huge difference!