Tips for de-stressing yourself

As the school year progresses, the workload continues to increase causing Baruchians to stress.
Freshmen: overwhelming amount of classes and work
Sophomores: multiple regents
Juniors: experiencing an AP class for the first time or college now
Seniors: the end of the college process and the beginning of FAFSA
Whatever it is, stress can be unhealthy and although its inevitable, it's the way that you deal with it that makes the biggest difference. Stress can turn you into a completely different person; causing you to snap at family or friends. It's important to know how to relax especially when there's so much on your plate.
Here are some tips that I have personally used over the years that I have found truly effective:

• Close your eyes and breathe. It sounds silly but this little moment of silence in all the chaos really does help.
• Light a candle. Scents like lavender are proven to calm the mind. However, make sure that you have experience with lighting candles as they can be dangerous if left unattended. Light, soft scents are recommended. 
• Chocolate! A little Hershey's kiss here and there never hurt anyone! We all know that chocolate releases endorphines which are basically happy hormones!  
• There are sites which you can use that will restrict your access to sites such as facebook, tumblr, or whatever you want for a period of this. This ensures that there are no distractions! 
• Music! I personally can't concentrate while listening to music but I know many people who actually focus better with music. 
• If you're in the middle of your work but feel like you are unable to continue, simply take a break! No one saids that you needed to finish all your work within an hour! Time management is the key to staying stress free. 
• If you are given an assignment ahead of time, set goals for yourself every day. This way, you are more less likely to get lazy and procrastinate. It's also a great time management method. 

Just to reiterate, it's super important to pace yourself and not leave a bunch of work last minute! That's the number one cause to stress. 

Good luck & stay stress free.