I’m sure every college student who read that title has had a good laugh, showed all their friends, called their mom to tell them how funny it was…and THEN sat down to read.
But DON’T disregard it yet!!
I have made it through to my current college life with very minimal stress. I’ve managed to guarantee the amount of sleep I need (read it HERE!) while managing a work/school/social life balance. And I do all these things without the large impending doom that a lot of high school and college students feel. I’ve talked to friends about this before, and quite often people make comments like “I wish I could say the same”, or “haha good for you dude” as their voice drips with sarcasm. I don’t want to make it seem like I am all high and mighty, I certainly go through rough patches occasionally but overall college has been a really good experience for me, and I’d like to share that with the rest of y’all!
I’d say there are 4 separate major factors that help me maintain my sanity while studying. I’ll list them here in the order of what I think are the MOST to LEAST important: Calendars & Organization, Clean and Efficient Home & Work Space, Solid Family & Friend Relationships, and Motivation for the Future.
Let’s start with something you have heard me say before, but is by far the most important factor in my productivity and mentaal strength.
Calendars and Organization
At this point, I must sound like a broken record but organization systems are the KEY to a well-managed life.
A lot of students tend to stress over time and energy. And while this can’t make your stamina and endurance better, it can certainly help you keep track of how much time you need per project. When you’re effectively using a calendar, you don’t have to worry about any upcoming deadlines or appointments. There is no stress about whether or not you are caught up on all your homework, you can schedule grade releases to see if you need to go back and correct any answers, and most importantly…anytime you start to worry about any item on the calendar you can simply pull out your phone and see a simplified list of everything that’s going on.
I use Google Calendar on all my devices. I have the app on my phone, and a bookmark to the website on my google account logged into each computer. I also integrated Google Calendar into the built-in macOS Calendar but I haven’t used that too much as the UI is different and I mostly use it on my phone.
Google Calendar lets me color code each life event by category. So I have everything school-related in green (because it’s the nicest looking color, in my opinion, …and my calendar is FULL of school ?) I also use red for VERY URGENT events, blue for work schedule, and yellow for appointments.
*A paper calendar can work, I personally hate them with a passion but I know some people much prefer them. To each their own, just USE a calendar!!
Clean and Efficient Workspace
This tip WON’T directly make you less stressed but it WILL help you implement systems that reduce stress. Our eyes are constantly taking in colors, shapes, and depth of objects whenever we scan a room. If the space you are in is covered with objects and a mess of colors it can often be difficult to focus your mind on one task. I’m sure this varies with creative minds, maybe the clutter that “creatives” constantly live in helps them…but for centralized focus required to study or work it simply creates more mental clutter.
This mental clutter distracts us from the important aspects of life, and can make us miss valuable information or milestones. Once we realize our mistakes, we tend to worry about them and reprimand ourselves for missing them. Even if this wasn’t directly your fault, if you have the option to purge and clean your workspace it can reduce the chances that you will ever run into that problem again.
There has been a huge minimalism craze lately and I think there is validity. After following the “fad” online for a few months I began to apply it to my own life..and now I would consider myself a minimalist. If any objects in my room weren’t consistently used I removed them. I also took everything off my desk except my mouse and keyboard, and a pad of paper with a pen. Anytime I sit down at that desk, I don’t see anything that will distract me. If I am laying in bed, there isn’t a messy room that I have to consistently worry or think about.
Less Distraction = More Mental Energy = Stronger Critical Thinking = Less Stress
Solid Family & Friends Relationships
In high school, I think the biggest stresses kids have is their parents. Most modern parents are so consumed with their own jobs and lives that they often neglect the needs of their children. How many of you remember forging signatures JUST so you didn’t have to talk to your parents or explain what field trip you were taking? Luckily my parents have always invested in my sister and me but I know some people are less fortunate.
The best way to avoid this stress is by putting effort into making valuable friendships with other people. It’s crucial to have a support group you can fall back on whenever you start feeling overwhelmed. A good group will sympathize with you but also motivate you and give you possible solutions to whatever dilemma you are facing. It’s less stressful to face a challenge with people supporting you because you know no matter the dilemma I have a safety net.
I have a couple of friends that I know anytime I need a listening ear I can contact them. Did I always have that? no. But I met them as life has progressed and now realize the importance of having such a network.
You CAN do this with family too. If you had/have a support network within your family, maintain those relationships. Keep in contact with them, let them know where you’re at in life. They don’t have to carry the burden of your life but they can be a pillar to help strengthen you emotionally, which will improve your ability to counter stress!
Motivation for the Future
Whenever I ask my fellow classmates what their future plan is I almost always get the same response, “I don’t know”. But if you ask them what the scariest part of their future is it’s always, “ the unknown”. This just causes an infinite cycle of worry and leads to unwarranted stress. If you are terrified of the fact that you don’t know your future but you never are proactive in choosing your future, even if it be a trial path…you are inviting unnecessary stress into your mind.
Choose to be proactive in the way you look at your future. Even if you don’t know what you want to do for a career, choose a hobby or ideas that interest you and pursue them. Find active ways to challenge and test ideas in the world. Pick your passion, even if its a possible one, and pursue it.
The stress of the unknown is eliminated when you know where your next step will be. And your road doesn’t have to have a map, just keep stepping forward.
So find new roads…just kidding LOL
What this means for me?
I am happily working toward my future career goals and pursuing my passion.
What this means for you?
If you begin implementing these steps, you will find your stress beginning to recede. Your life will be organized, your bedroom, dorm room, or office will be way less cluttered and way more pleasant to look at and work in. Your family and friends will appreciate you trying to stay connected. And lastly you hopefully will begin to understand your life goals better and turn it into a successful career!
So get out there, implement a step or two and tweet me @geoffreyburdo and let me know which steps you are going to try!