On how to stay calm before the storm (or the next big exam)
ISO - September 2009 e-Newsletter
So, the semester has begun. You’ve bought your books, you know where all the classrooms
are and what time you should be there. And sometimes you even get there when you
should. You have a regular schedule and all those shortcuts to save time. Now what?
How do you balance all of your work and school responsibilities with the rest of
your life (you know, the fun part)? How do you manage stress, fatigue and daily
frustrations with your social schedule so you can enjoy a happy, healthy Fall term?
ISO has some suggestions…
- Exercise! According to the Mayo Clinic, “virtually any form of exercise can decrease
the production of stress hormones and counteract your body’s natural stress response”!
It will keep you healthy and happy while helping you avoid gaining weight. You might
want to try a yoga class offered by your university, take dance lessons in the city,
or just go for an early morning jog!
- Drink water! We’re not recommending you give up your morning latte or orange juice,
but throughout the day, drinking water will help prevent fatigue. The more hydrated
you are, the less tired you will be. The less tired you are, the more energy for
Frisbee outside before the weather gets too cold.
- Get enough sleep! This is a no-brainer. If you’re not sleeping, you’re not going
to be alert and ready for tomorrow (and tomorrow’s test). If you’re not ready, you’re
going to be stressed. It’s a vicious cycle. Sleep during the week and, if you must,
keep the late hours for the weekends!
- Eat an apple! Proper nutrition is key to feeling your best. If you’re eating well,
everything else in your body is performing well. Plan ahead, stop eating pizza every
night of the week and you should be fine. If you’re too busy to remember to not
eat pizza every night (and, let’s be honest, we’ve all had a week like that), at
least add some vegetables to your list of pizza toppings and cut back on sugary
drinks. Eating more fruits and vegetables will keep you feeling better when maybe
you should have passed on the second Coke.
- FACEBOOK! Ok, you’re already on facebook. Who isn’t?! And though you shouldn’t spend
most of your day friending and unfriending people (because anything in excess is
not good), moderate social networking site use may actually be good for you. A study
out this month noted that “social support and social networking offer benefits,
from additional resilience to greater life satisfaction to reducing the risk of
health problems”. So, if you’re feeling homesick, don’t let it stress you out. Message
a friend back home, make some more friends, and realize that your loved ones are
only a wall post away. And while you’re at it, look for
ISO- Student Health Insurance on facebook! Become a fan, and you can join
in on discussions, get tips, tricks and information, and maybe connect with some
fellow ISO members. Check in soon for our announcement of an upcoming essay contest.
You wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity (something like that could be very stressful)!
- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise-and-stress/SR00036
- http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2009-09-27-social-networking_N.htm
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