How to Deal with Stress

      Do you get stressed every once in a while? I know I do! Whether the stress is from your school life, work life, social life, romantic life, or your family is having issues, stress seems to stem from every aspect of our lives. I've been a little stressed recently about my school life because I have so much homework every night and I also have to go to rehearsal for the musical every night (even though I'm in the chorus), and I have to work on my term paper on top of that. I thought I'd share a few of my favorite ways to reduce stress when my life becomes overwhelming:

1. Drink a cup of tea. For me, tea is like a hug in a mug. It's a quick break from real life -- just enough time to stop working and gather your bearings. My favorites are green tea with mint and spiced chai.
2. Listen to music. If I'm feeling like I have too much going on, music is my escape. I can just put in my headphones and tune out the world. I highly recommend Coldplay and Eddie Vedder for moments like these.
3. Read a book. Along with music, reading is a way for me to forget about my crazy life and jump into the interesting world of someone else. I've recently started reading The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh which is very good so far, but the Harry Potter series is usually my go-to; it's so comforting.
4. Make lists.  Have you ever felt like you have so much to do that you can't possibly begin your endless tasks? I feel that way all the time, and I find it helpful to plan out what needs to be done and how much time each task will take. It really helps me to organize my crazy days.
5. Paint your nails. Maybe this only helps me, but if I'm feeling even more stressed than usual (I'm pretty sure "stressed" and "tired" have become a part of my personality description), I try to take an even longer break. Painting my nails takes about fifteen minutes, then half an hour to dry, so it's a perfect excuse to not do any work for at least 45 minutes, which is actually very hard for me. I always try to push myself to get more work, and that stresses me out, but it's hard for me to take a break once I get going!

     I hope some of these tips will help you in the future, and please leave any comments if you have any ways for reducing stress that help you!

Carpe Diem,
Brooke