The first step to me combatting the stress before
it gets too overwhelming is to make a Stress Diagram. First, I list all of the things that I am worried about: school related, family related, or anything else. Once I've listed those I make a pie chart. In the pie chart I divide up the space and give each stressor a specific amount of space. The more space a stressor takes up, the more
stressful that situation is to me. After everything is placed in the pie chart I can see which stressors need more attention and which ones I should try to take care of first- if possible. In my
case, my uncertain future and my GPA/ Newhouse are my biggest stressors. There's not a lot that I can do about my uncertain future right now and same with my GPA/Newhouse. The next largest stressors are COM 107 and my summer jobs (or lack thereof). These two are much more manageable. I was able to make a plan to get help with COM 107 and also make a list for possible summer jobs. As somewhat of a visual learner, seeing just how much something is bothering me is a helpful way to figure out what to do. My first instinct would be to take care of the little, small things, that really aren't that big of stressors to me. I will definitely continue to make the Stress Diagram because it helps me to prioritize.
Stress is inevitable. What helps is knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Having a Stress Reduction Plan is a good way to remind yourself of that light. I know that sometimes when I have two or three exams to study for I can get overwhelmed and feel like that's all there is going on. I know that I need to take "study breaks" to remind myself that there are other things going on and yes those exams are important, but I need to take care of myself too. The best cure to clear my head is to go for a run outside or play fieldhockey. Those activities take my mind off of my stressors and let me just escape for a little bit. If I can't get outside sometimes it's just helpful to talk to my mom or my boyfriend. They're good people to bounce ideas off of and also to distract me for a while. If I only have a little time to try and de-stress buying a new song on iTunes is one of the best two second things. It's amazing how one song can change someones mood. I love plans and the Stress Reduction Plan will definitely continue to be used. It's a great reminder during those stressful times that you need to just take a few seconds of every so often and clear your head.
There's less than a month left in the semester and yes I am a little stressed with classes wrapping up and deadlines approaching, but with the two tools I mentioned above, I know I'm prepared to handle the stress to come.
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