The Daily Gamecock

Column: Stress can be defeated by small acts

Everyone on this campus knows college can be majorly stressful. Balancing everything from classes, extra-curricular activities, exercising and enjoying college can be a lot to handle at times. Some things pile up while others get done quickly. When college starts to get you, it’s important to remember the little things in life.

Music is a great way to escape any problem, honestly. If there’s one song you absolutely love and it helps you relax, play it over and over again. Try creating a playlist on Spotify or pick a Pandora station that you love and just listen. Music makes us feel so many emotions all at once. Certain songs are for breakups and others are for celebration, but every song has a certain and unique feel to it. Listen to your guilty pleasure songs; don’t worry if people will judge you for liking Barry Manilow or AC/DC. Not going to lie, nothing makes me happier than singing at the top of my lungs to my favorite songs.

Another little thing that I personally believe is highly underrated is nature — sitting on the Horseshoe is one of the best feelings in the world. You don’t have to sit for a full hour to calm down; a little five-minute sit is all it takes to really unwind. Never forget that we have the privilege to attend a beautiful university. Everyone is out there for a reason and no one gawks at people as they sit. Just enjoy the day and be thankful.

Something as simple as wearing your favorite outfit is like turning over a new leaf. You can conquer the world in your favorite jeans and most-loved shirt. If you feel comfortable, you’re bound to be more relaxed. That’s not on any website, but try it and you’ll understand where I’m coming from.

Stress is a monster we all have to face, unfortunately. Way down the road, though, it really helps us. It reminds us that there’s always a bright side to things, no bad situation lasts forever and the little things in every day are a reason to be happy and keep moving forward. We wouldn’t know when to relax if we didn’t know when to get anxious. If you don’t know what your little things are, take a moment to make a list. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, but make sure it’s what makes you feel butterflies in your stomach.


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