Have you ever had that feeling where your brain is going to explode if one more piece of information goes into it, or that you just want to pull your hair out in chunks because you're so stressed? That is happening to me right now. Waiting to hear back from colleges because of admission decisions being released, and just having tons and tons of homework piling up on my plate, my stress levels are just increasing to their breaking point. Because of my stress, I wanted to write a post about 5 things that help me de-stress in case any of you want to try these out as well.1. Listening to music - I always listen to music when I'm doing homework, whether it's my AP Calculus homework or typing a take home essay. Music helps me de-stress, as the catchy lyrics and rhythm of each song allows me to delve into the song and dance along instead of bringing myself down because of the stress on my shoulders. People might say music is incredibly distracting when working, but for me it really helps me relax after a stressful day of school. I usually listen to my Spotify account and whenever I hit the play button I know that whatever song I listen to, I will end my music jam session more relaxed than when I first started.
2. Exercising - Not only is exercise good for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, it really helps people relax. For me, I run after school, and running really allows me to reflect on all that has happened in the day. Exercising lets me focus on becoming more fit instead of worrying about how I will finish all my homework before midnight, and it allows me to temporarily forget about all the stress in my life, and instead focus on exercising.
3. Watching TV - After school I always try to squeeze in a few episodes of my favorite TV show before starting homework. I find that in doing this, I am so much more relaxed and patient when it comes to doing my homework later on in the night. Watching TV relaxes me so much, as when I turn on an episode of my favorite TV show (mainly comedy TV shows), I know I will get to forget about the issues and stress in my life, and become part of the life that is depicted in the specific TV show. I love watching TV because I can catch up on any missed episodes, and I know I will always love whatever I'm watching.
4. Reading - I love to read for fun, as it helps me de-stress. I usually find time for pleasure reading when eating breakfast in the morning or right before bed, and I just always look forward to reading at night. I personally love teen romance novels (and movies as well) and just picking up a random book lying around my house and reading it for the second or third time for pleasure relaxes me, as I can become engrossed and connect with the characters in the novel and tune out from my reality for the 30 minutes or 3 hours that I spend reading.
5. Extracurriculars - For me, horseback riding is the extracurricular that really relaxes me, as I know that when I sit on a horse, I can forget about all my life issues and focus on the task at hand, which is performing my best in my lesson and refining my skills. Horseback riding allows me to relax as it is something I am so passionate about, and I think that in participating in an activity you know you will love and have fun doing, that is the easiest way to relax and de-stress. By spending however long in a specific activity you can forget about the stress in your life and focus on what you are doing at that moment, and then check back in with reality once you are done. I think that in doing something you are passionate about, that is the best way to relax and forget about your troubles.
