By Tiffany Kuo

Staff Writer

As I end my senior year, I have to admit that I am still grappling with feelings of stress while attempting to stay sane in the process. Though it is said that stress is a result of procrastination, it is not always as simple as treating the latter to solve the former. Such pressures are a culmination of more than just school and as I continue my search to combat them, I have compiled some tips for decompressing stress.

First, take care of oneself. I have come to realize that feelings of pressure are inevitable. And there is no definitive way to get rid of them Tackling stress isn’t to work to oneself into oblivion. Rather it is understanding how far to push and when to take a much needed break.

Second, for me, de-stressing starts with figuring out what the cause is. Sometimes, merely reviewing what needs to be done makes me feel better because I realize that the situation is not as bad as it seems. Here’s where my holy-grail tip comes into play. As I proceed to make a game plan, plotting exactly what I need to get done in order of priority, I add breaks. Breaks. Breaks. Breaks. I cannot stress (no pun intended) how important it is to have periods of relaxation in between long hours of work.

Obviously, it is important to be realistic as to how long or frequent the pauses should be, but knowing that time off will come after an hour of focusing on homework makes me so much more motivated and confident that the anxiousness just seems to melt away.

It can be as simple as having a moment of self-indulgence to alleviate overwhelmingly stressful times. Relish in moments of self-care because everyone deserves to. Relaxation is so crucial to combating stress, so implement it in any way possible.

The last quarter of the school year is about to start and I want to send out a reminder that mental stability and self-contentment are just as important as working hard. Finish strong, but finish with one’s health as a top priority. So cheers to the near completion of a school year riddled by sleepless nights and excessive amounts of coffee. May these tips aid one’s search for a cure to end stress.