The college life at Cal can be super stressful. Probably we all have gone through our first round of midterms this semester. How stressful was it to you? You might have 3 midterms in a week, which two was on the same day! After that week, some of you might catch a cold.

Second midterms may be coming in a month. It is important to know how we can cope with the stress from school, family, and your social life. To strike a balance among all of these and having a balanced life style, the following points below may help you in addition to the time management.

Having breaks between studying and do not wait until the last minute to study! It is better to plan ahead for studying a bit everyday and not piling up the night before the exam. While you are studying for your class, having breaks would help to relax and memorization. Having a break can also allow your eyes to relax from reading a close distance from the book or your computer screen.

Going for a jog or exercise for 30 minutes a day can help you to clear your mind and stretch your muscle. During exercise, you can relieve your negative energy and better manage your emotions. It can also give your brain a rest and reduce your muscle tension from your studying position! Having physical activity for more than 20 minute a day would help increase the secretion of the hormones, Endorphins, which provides an analgesic (pain relieving) effect and promote a sense of euphoria. Playing badminton and going to the gym are the great ways for me to relieve my stress. I find myself to relax more after exercise!

Forming study groups and sharing the questions and concerns is a great way to reduce your stress! While studying together, you would not feel like you are the only person having the same questions. Also, you can find each other helpful in explaining the material you are dealing with. It makes studying fun at the same time.

I hope these ways would help you to cope with your stress. Start studying regularly and having time for relaxation, and forming your social support can to reduce your stress at Cal!