As a college student, you probably have a long list of words that trigger stress. They probably involve words like midterms, finals, project, and due date — especially when you hear all of them in one day. There are many ways you may cope with this stress, some that can help you relax and others that will make you feel better, but only momentarily.

It’s important to reduce your stress levels as much as you can to do well in school. In order to study, you need to focus on your work, which can be hard if you feel anxious about all your due dates and deadlines. However, it may be even more important reduce your level of stress to maintain your physical health. According to Psychology Today, the stress hormone cortisol can interfere with learning and memory, lower immune function and bone density, increase weight gain, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease and more.

In fact, reports about mental health and college are shocking. According to this research, one third of students report that their mental health strain negatively affects their social interactions and schoolwork. The report also mentions a study done by Pennsylvania State University, which found that around half of its students had sought out mental health counseling.

Before you add that to your list of things to worry about, take a deep breath and remember that if you deal with your stress in a healthy way, it can help you prevent stress in the future. Not every method will work for you, but there plenty of ways to deal with stress, and you should be able to find a variety that suit your educational needs and lifestyle.

Motivation and Procrastination

Going to college is often the first major change in your life. It might be the first time you move away from home or the first time you are in charge of your own schedule. Though this sounds like a lot of fun, it can be overwhelming when you find yourself in the situation.

If you didn’t learn how to manage your time in high school — which is the case for many students — you might struggle to handle all of the responsibility of going to college. When you have a high demand of assignments and readings, you might feel like putting it off because it stresses you out too much.

However, this only puts off the work for another time, allowing your stress to build. If you do this enough, you can get into a cycle of procrastination, and you can get behind on your classes very easily. To avoid this, you need to find ways to motivate yourself to do homework and work on building a consistent schedule. It’s best if you finish your homework and studying before you go hang out with friends.

Comfort Food Not So Comforting

The classic solution to dealing with stress is eating pints of ice cream and fast food, but though this might make you feel better in the moment, it can make things worse. As reported by ABC News, “people who reported following a Western diet — high in saturated fats and red meats, low in fruits and vegetables — were more likely to develop depression.”

For that reason, it’s important that as a student, you have a healthy meal plan. Often, dining halls will offer a wide variety of food, and it might be tempting to go for the pizza and french fries every night, but you should try to eat a wholesome diet filled with lean protein, vegetables, and fruits.

Along with a healthy diet, you should also make sure that you don’t resort to alcohol or drugs to self-medicate your stress. Environment and social pressure, along with stress, can make drugs or excessive use of alcohol sound fun and relaxing, but this only puts your body under more strain. To avoid this, find healthy ways to have fun with your friends, such as on-campus events or outdoor activities.

Making Time for Self Care

College is not only a time for studying and homework, it is also a time of social interaction and new experiences. Going out with friends can be a great way to destress, but sometimes keeping up with social engagements can be draining. You want to see your friends, but you feel anxious about the work you need to do or the laundry that is piling up in your room.

In these cases, you should consider staying in to take care of your needs. You can’t always say yes to all your friends, and staying home to organize your room is a great way to relieve stress. It can help you reset your mind, relax, and declutter your room to be able to focus better.

You may find it difficult at times to maintain your healthy habits, especially during high-stress periods, such as midterms or finals. It’s important to keep a balance between taking care of your needs and keeping your body healthy. Remember that what might feel good in the moment may not be what makes you feel better in the long run. By developing healthy habits, you can get through college with reduced stress and have a better experience.