Can you believe it? The summer is already winding down and schools are preparing to re-welcome their students. While there are some great reasons to be excited about going back to school, there is also one thing that makes quite a few students anxious – stress.

Stress can rear its ugly head at any time during the school year. Stressing over grades, projects, assignments and anything else class-related is quite common these days. But that’s not the only thing causing students to stress. Many students also suffer from some type of social stress during the school year. This is especially true for students starting out at a new school – this means you, Mr. Freshman. And with good reason, as making new friends and learning to function in a new environment can make for tough times. Balancing school obligations with work can also affect your stress levels.

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Many students deal with stress differently, but very few deal with it in a healthy manner. All too often, people will turn to unhealthy habits. Vices like heavy drinking, binge eating and even general unhappiness have become common with college students today. As they fall victim to high stress levels, the result is often gaining weight, feeling overwhelmed and more unhappiness.

There are other ways to deal with stress, however, that don’t rely on bad habits. While simple, these basic techniques for managing stress levels can have a complex impact on your daily life – all for the better!

1. Write it down

Keeping a journal is another good way to deal with stress that many don’t realize. Writing down your feelings helps you to become fully aware of them. Once you’ve done this, it’s a lot easier to figure out just what is causing you stress and then let go of these feelings so you can move on with your day.

2. Be Proactive

When you feel stressed or overwhelmed, one of the worst things you can do is mope about it. Rather than stewing on everything you have to do, try being proactive and attacking your to-dos. Start by defining the problems and contemplating your basic goals. Then come up with a plan to reach these goals. In no time, you’ll have a roadmap through the stressful times.

3. Work on one thing at a time

Multitasking is a great way to stress yourself out, especially if you’re juggling multiple deadlines. It’s also not as efficient as it sounds, since you’re unable to give your undivided attention to any of the tasks on your list. Try focusing on one single to-do at a time. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’re able to rip through your list and feel better in the process.

4. Organize something else

Often times stress is caused by clutter and disorganization – either in the physical or mental sense. So to combat this stress, try organizing something or some part of your life. Whether it’s your music collection, pictures or DVDs, the act of cleaning something up and organizing it can have a soothing effect on your mind and body.

5. Get some exercise

Exercise is one of the very best ways to work through a stressful day. Physical activity is great for de-stressing, no matter your preferred activity. Riding a bike, playing basketball, going to the gym or simply walking around the neighborhood are all great ways to relieve some of your stress. You’re almost always guaranteed to feel better after a good workout.