By Paige E. Bourquin

Right now the world seems to be going crazy. With school going back full gear and COVID getting worse (again), it’s completely understandable that you would be anxious. You might be constantly getting ads that are in your face telling you to do this and your stress will be gone, or do that and poof your anxiety is gone! We all know those click bait ads aren’t true, but what does help?

Starting off strong we have take a step away. If you are stressed with studying, Step away for 10-15 minutes to stretch, listen to music, watch a few videos, anything that helps you take a small break. This helps you from overloading your brain at once and getting burned out. This process also helps you get your creative juices flowing once more, such as if you are writing a paper. It refreshes your brain.

Another way to help with your anxiety is to take deep breaths. Each time you exhale say one, then two, then so on. This helps refocus your mind. 

There are also physical things you can do to help. Some things you can do is get more sleep. In the wise words of John Mulaney, “Do my friends hate me, or do I just need to go to sleep?” Getting a good night’s sleep helps refresh your mind and prepares you to take on the challenges of the next day. Exercising is also supposed to help clear your mind. Don’t worry about being good! Go for a walk in a local park, go dance like nobody’s watching, go on a bike ride and clear your thoughts! Exercising releases endorphins that make your brain feel good.

Clearing your space also helps. Take a few minutes to pick up your space and feel so good once you get out of all the clutter.