Stress and college go together like rainbows and butterflies, but, unfortunately, life isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. Sometimes, it’s not even gumdrops and cotton candy. Sometimes, it’s hard and stressful. So, let’s discuss the best ways to deal with stress.

Hobbies: Whether it’s art, knitting or whatever you find fun, try to return to what relaxes you. Or maybe even try out a new hobby. I recently took up art to help cope with the stresses of life, but it’s really hard and ended up making me even more stressed. So unless you’re good at art, don’t go with art. I tried to draw a cat, and it looks like a turnip. I hate art.

Enjoy the outdoors: Wanting to connect with the environment is just human nature. Try to get outside, enjoy the sunshine, go for a walk through the woods and just be with the Earth. Maybe even try going to an empty park in the middle of the night and screaming as loud as you can to let off some steam.

Think about how your problems are minuscule compared to the rest of the universe: Ultimately, you’re a speck of dust on a floating rock in the empty, infinite vacuum of space and time. Your problems are meaningless in the grand scheme of things!

Help others: Whether it’s through volunteering or just buying a friend a cup of coffee to study for a big test, helping others is always a surefire way to relieve some stress and build self-confidence. Studies show those who help others become more resilient to their own problems.

Cry: Let it all out!

So, these are some of my best ways to relieve stress. Everyone is different, and copes with their problems differently as a result. If these don’t work for you, that’s okay! But either way, remain positive: it always gets better.