You wake up at 6 o’clock in the morning to get ready to spend six hours in the same building. You see the same faces from yesterday, walk the same hallways since freshman year, and procrastinate homework and projects like it’s your part time job. But the list of assignments in every class keeps piling up and the next thing you know you’re crying in your seventh period because the stress that bottled up in you decided to explode into tears.

If you’re anything like me, that’s usually how it goes. Actually, if you take more than one AP class, then you are probably feeling the same way as I am. It’s a struggle, especially if you have a job, play sports, or have other commitments. Overall, it’s hard to keep track of assignments that accumulate in all of your classes. You just want to procrastinate every day, but you know you can’t. You want to hang out with your friends, but you have to go to work, or dance, or you have two labs due the next day and have barely started them. It leads up to the point where you feel overwhelmed with the world, but pretty soon you have to face it and live on your own while you deal with even bigger problems that are outside of school.

Take a deep breath. School is important, but it’s unhealthy to over-stress yourself. That’s why It’s good to take a timeout to relax and do things you like to do to. So use these tips to come up with your own way to make yourself calm and lessen anxiety or any pressure you have. Trust me, you will find something that will help you, but never procrastinate or push something aside because in the end, you will regret it.

Food:

My personal favorite. When I’m having a panic attack while studying, I take some breaks in between to relax and bake some cookies. Don’t go crazy overboard and stuff your face every time you feel stressed, but just treat yourself once in a while to something pleasurable, like warm chocolate chip cookies.

Of course, baking cookies frequently might make you happier, but it is still unhealthy and may not curve your stress. It will only make you feel happier for a short period of time, and has no benefits to calm you down. There are, however, foods that have nutrients that act to calm you down. Prevention.com says that “Whether it’s because of the specific nutrients they provide or the steady, reliable source of energy they give you, they’ll get you through the day feeling focused, even, and balanced—so you’ll have the ability to conquer anything.” Use their ideas and try out these foods yourself, it will not only be a better option for your mind, but your body also.

Exercise:

If you love playing sports or dancing, then take 20 minutes or more out of the day to do it by yourself, or with some friends. You could even go for a quick run. This will get your mind to focus on something else for a change, and also relaxes yourself. Yoga even has benefits of de-stressing naturally, without having to go outside or get aggressive and sweaty. Teenshealth.org mentions in their article that yoga “Yoga can benefit three aspects of ourselves that are often affected by stress: our body, mind, and breathing.” If you need help on what poses to try, check out globalpost.com for ideas.

Basics:

Simple things you love to do have the benefit of clearing your head and relaxing your body. If you’re getting worked up about something, just go up to your room, put on Netflix, and watch some episodes of American Horror Story or a movie by yourself. If you don’t feel like watching tv, listen to some music to lift your spirits, or, do what we all naturally do, sleep. Just take a little nap, you’ll wake up refreshed and feeling better, and ready to start any work you have to get done. If you want even more ideas on how to destress quickly, try huffingtonpost.com’s article, which includes a slideshow of ideas that range a minute or more on de-stressing.

These are small simple ideas to get you started. Everyone has their own way to relieve stress, you just have to find it. Remember that it should be a healthy way, nothing that would come to harm you. You have to do things that will control the stress so it doesn’t overtake you, because trust me, it is not fun crying in class. Just think positively, and never look down on yourself. Always be organized and plan for the future, and never let anything control your life.