Dealing with Stress - An Introduction to the Weekly Column

Dealing with stress is something that we all have to do in our lives, but sometimes it just feels like being a college student is getting much more stressful. When asked how I felt about stressful situations for a job interview, I replied that I enjoyed the challenge. I was being serious. , I’m worried about myself too.

On top of that, American society and especially the Tufts bubble seems to value being busy. Ask your friends at Tufts how they are doing or what they have been up to and they will likely tell you “Oh, I’m so busy.” Being busy seems to be the way people can show they are accomplishing something, that they are smart and that they are something special. Who is going to tell you their grades if it’s not a 4.0 GPA? But everyone will tell you just how busy they are and just how many extra-curricular activities they have. I’ve heard people tell me just how busy they are, only to see them procrastinating an hour later.

Maybe it’s because I’m abroad but I’ve realized I can’t go on like this. I just can’t be stressed out all the time.  Last semester, I had a 5 class load, extracurriculars and a busy social life and by the end of it, I was exhausted. I didn’t know how to cope with myself. When summer hit, I was working an internship and a job, whilst constantly travelling between places and trying to see my friends from home and to be honest, that was really stressful too.  I always thought studying abroad was going to be a walk in the park but living in a different country with a new culture, another language, a full class load and no really close friends is even more stressful. My friends who know me well know that I haven’t actually been dealing with it well. And then there was the awful feeling of waking up in the middle of the night and realizing that I clench my teeth when I sleep.

So I’ve decided to start my New Year’s Resolution early…meaning now: I want to learn how to deal with stress. However, I can’t do that in the space of one article, so I have resolved, for my own sake, to dedicate one article per week to de-stresssing. Why should you read this? Because you are likely just as stressed as I am. You are likely overwhelmed with work, projects and everything else in life. You likely need a break. So take a break with me and follow me on my de-stress adventures. And I’m going to start right now by sitting and doing nothing whilst drinking a cup of tea, so see you next week?

If you have any stories about when you were really stressed out or de-stress tips, comment or email me! I really want any tips you have and I’ll try them in the future!