By ALEJANDRO REYES-VEGA, CSU Public Relations Student Assistant

College can be stressful for many students. Some have heavy workloads, while others have to deal with school and work,  and then there are those who just have a hard time adapting to college classes.

Learning to manage stress will not only make you more successful in college but also in life and maybe managing it could prolong it. Everyone has different ways of dealing with their stress and everyone must find what works best for them. Sometimes, I either binge eat or restrict my eating, neither of which are healthy choices. However, over time I found some healthy habits that have helped me manage my day to day stress in a better way.

First and far most get some type of physical activity into your schedule. It can be playing ping-pong, basketball, soccer, running, lifting weights, or just taking a walk around town. Any of these activities help get the mind distracted for a little while, and focus on something else other than school. Moreover, moving around helps get some much-needed physical activity. Most students will discover that they are majorly responsible for their own physical activity.

My second suggestion could be controversial, however, if managed correctly it can be helpful. Videogames can be a great stress reliever. Entering an alternate world, role playing, trying to beat your friends at FIFA, NBA 2k, or other sports games can be a great distraction and help relieve stress. Nevertheless, videogames should be used cautiously since time tends to fly when playing them and responsibilities get lost and forgotten.

My third suggestion is reading books. I know it might not sound appealing, specially to those who are not used to reading, but a good book can be a great distraction. Immersing yourself into the story and letting yourself go. It can be of great help, especially when you seem like the world is about to fall on your shoulders. I know college students are always busy and reading seems like an impossible task, but thirty minutes or an hour of reading can be the sufficient break to get a fresh mindset and be back to your responsibilities and be more efficient.

My fourth suggestion is socializing. In college, classes, homework, projects, studying, reviewing, and work can prevent you from having dinner with friends or just catching up. It is easy to isolate yourself and be buried under the work load. Classes will only get harder as time passes. That is why it is important to learn how to manage your social life along with school.

These are some suggestions that I have discovered work for me. However, everyone is different and it is important to try new things. Stress can be managed by distracting yourself every so often. Hobbies are one of the best ways to do so. I know some people that play instruments while others choose to write computer code. Just make sure to always keep those stress levels in check and keep striving for success.