Tips for Students

Tips for Students:

• Develop a support network of people that you can talk to when you feel anxious or worried. Talking it out with a friend, family member, teacher or other trusted person can sometimes help reduce whatever worry you may be experiencing.
• Take care of yourself! When you are healthy, you are better able to cope when the day to day anxieties that everyone experiences.
  • Exercise! Some form of physical activity for 20- to 30, three to five times a week can be energizing, and can make you more alert and can calm you. Take a walk, go for a run, hike, swim, bike! Consider what your physical limits are and ask your family doctor if you have questions or concerns about exercise and workout routines.
  • Eating a healthy diet low in sugar and caffeine and junk foods is recommended as this can increase your mental and physical energy and may lessen your anxiety.
  • Get enough sleep! Quality and quantity of sleep are important. Fatigue wears on our emotions. If you get enough sleep and if you have a regular sleep schedule (a specific time to go to bed at night and a specific time to get up in the morning) you will feel more refreshed and are in a better frame of mind to tackle worries and concerns.
• Figure out which activities are relaxing to you. Everyone is different and you may have to try a few things before you find what is right for you. Some things you can try when you are anxious or worried are to go for a long walk to relax or you can listen to soft music, read a book, draw or paint, do yoga or martial arts, take a nice warm bath, listen to relaxation tapes, or practice deep breathing and muscle relaxation exercises.
• If you feel anxiety before or during a test, for instance, it is a good idea to develop good study habits, time management skills, and organizational skills. Being well prepared may give you a sense of confidence and reduce anxiety. If you are concerned about public speaking or if you have to talk in front of others during a public forum, practice parts of the speech beforehand and prepare well. This may be easier said than done, but give it a try. Being prepared does help.
• Set realistic goals. If your goals are unrealistic, then no matter how well you do, you will feel as though you failed. You know what you can accomplish and what you cannot. Be patient. Feel good about what you have accomplished and can accomplish.
• It is all about your perspective. View a problem or a situation as a challenge that can be overcome instead of an obstacle to be avoided or a situation that causes distress. Use positive self-talk to meet a problem or a situation directly. What would you tell your best friend if they were in your situation? That is what you should tell yourself!