College have you stressed out? Check out these six tips

Being a college student comes with stress as it is, and the events of 2020 have certainly upped the anxiety level for many. Finding ways to relieve stress is more timely – and critical – than ever.

Let’s face it: College life, with its academic, social, and internal pressures, can be potentially debilitating. In fact, the American Institute of Stress reports that 8 in 10 college students report experiencing frequent stress.

Here are six tips to relieve stress and cultivate peace in your daily life. 

Note: While these are recommended to relieve stress, for serious concerns about mental health we encourage consulting a medical professional.

#1 Access the Health and Counseling Center

The Health and Counseling Center offers free counseling sessions for all undergraduate and graduate students on the Newberg campus. Counseling is a great way to discuss stress in a safe and private setting. For more information or to make an appointment, you can visit their webpage here.

counseling appointment

#2 Take care of your body physically

This is extremely important. When we are stressed it is very easy to neglect the basic care of our bodies. While we may think staying up all night to finish a paper is of utmost importance, it only makes our stress and health worse overall.

As simple as it sounds, drinking water and eating healthy meals throughout the day helps alleviate stress. Your gut is directly connected to your brain, so eating healthy and staying hydrated directly helps your mental health. Resources like Pinterest can be great for finding affordable, easy recipes for meals and snacks.

Also, keeping up with hygiene is extremely important. While things like showering, brushing your hair, and washing your face can seem overwhelming at times, feeling good and clean can do wonders for mental health. Remember: No grade is as important as your physical and mental well-being.

weights

#3 Lavender

Essential oils, wax melts, lotion and tea: The smell of lavender has been shown to decrease anxiety and relieve stress. As simple as it is, lavender can greatly assist in immediate relief of stress! There are many affordable ways to incorporate its scent into your daily routine, available at local stores like Fred Meyer.

lavender-blossom-1595581_1920.jpgPhoto by Hans Braxmeier on Pixabay

#4 Join a spiritual community


Both Spiritual Life and local churches are here to offer spiritual support and prayer during hard seasons of life. Whether it is meeting with a pastor or joining a Life Group, SpIL has many resources available to assist you in stress management.

life group

#5 Organize

Writing down a list of what needs to be done (not just the final project but the steps it takes to accomplish it) can create a feeling of productivity that can help when you are feeling overwhelmed. Even writing down things such as, “Got out of bed” can help if you get to cross something off!

Also, cleaning your room and organizing your space can do wonders for mental clarity. By having the environment around you decluttered, your thoughts can also begin to feel clearer and more manageable.

day-planner-828611_1920.jpgPhoto from Pixabay

#6 Lessen your social media use

It is extremely tempting when you are stressed to run to different social media platforms in order to escape from reality. However, this can make your stress worse.

Filling your mind with posts about news, natural disasters, celebrity drama, or even your grandparent’s Facebook comments can leave you feeling only more overwhelmed. As tempting as it can be to pick up your phone when you feel stressed, putting it down to take a walk, talk to a friend, or pray can assist greatly in stress relief.

Forgetting about the responsibilities of our own lives by focusing on the “dreamlike” parts of others doesn’t make anything actually go away. It only pushes back the tasks that need to be accomplished and creates a cycle of more stress. So close down TikTok and remind yourself that true peace is found in the world around you, not on the internet. 

phone.jpgPhoto by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash

Stress for any reason can be extremely defeating. But there are many resources – on and off campus – that are available to help you find peace.


You are not alone in this battle against stress.

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