The fresh start that comes with the fall semester will bring new friends, new professors, new goals, and, of course, new stress.
How are you supposed to balance academic workload with being involved on campus, having a job and spending time with family and friends? There’s no one answer, but here’s a few tips to get you on the right track.
Manage Your Time
This concept is a no-brainer, but actually figuring out how to manage time down to every minute of the day can be overwhelming.
First, find a planner of your choice. I prefer to have one with outlined hours and lots of space because I can sometimes split several tasks and appointments into just one hour.
“To manage stress, students should get organized, especially with their time,” said pre-med and sociology major Kayland Arrington, who is also a certified peer health educator.
“Plan out the day in advance and try to get the harder tasks out of the way earlier in the day,” he said. “You can get a lot done in breaks between classes, so be sure to maximize time that way.”
I have been guilty of wasting time between classes. When you could be studying, it can be easy to turn a 30-minute break into 2 hours of streaming “Grey’s Anatomy” on Netflix. Prevent stress by sticking to your schedule and making adjustments as needed.
Healthy Snacking is Happy Snacking
Pack healthy snacks for yourself that will keep you going throughout the day. It may be convenient to stop by Chick-fil-A or Starbucks, but junk food is full of fat and sodium and will likely leave you feeling groggy. It can also cause you to lose focus and not be as productive.
If you already have fruit and granola bars packed and in your backpack, it’s more convenient to just snack on the go; plus, it will save you money, too! Just make sure that your healthy food doesn’t spoil in the hot weather.
Keep in mind: when you’re trying to decide what healthy foods to start eating, don’t take advice from that one friend that drinks FitTea and eats almonds for lunch. Go to the experts.
At Kennesaw State, there are two dietitians on staff who are readily available to students to help them make knowledgeable decisions on their diet and nutrition.
Also, staying hydrated can keep you alert and focused so that you can tackle your daily goals more easily, so carry a water bottle with you. KSU has water fountains with water bottle refill stations all around campus.
Treat yourself, but remember to take care of yourself! “Treat yourself” doesn’t mean go to Starbucks and get a venti Frappuccino when you’re feeling stressed.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you should eat healthy meals, exercise regularly, get seven to nine hours of sleep and give yourself a break when you feel stressed out.
I completely agree. Be kind to yourself now so that you don’t hurt yourself in the future.
Lack of resources to better your health should not be an excuse here at KSU. There are plenty of campus resources available to students, and many are for free. We have the Counseling and Psychological Services, the Center for Health Promotion and Wellness, peer health educators, and two dietitians on staff ready to help you build healthy habits so that you can plan your meals, plan your day, get rid of stress and make yourself happier and healthier.
Take the time to reach out to campus resources to see what works best to prevent your stress. Take care of yourself so that you can have a healthy and productive student career at KSU and later on as well.
