Spoonfuls of Sugar: 10 Cures for College Stress

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: the holy, heavenly, melt-in-your-mouth scrumptiousness that never lets you down. Who needs a prince charming to save you from the stress that’s eating at your brain when you have Reese’s to heal the hole that homework has burned deep in your soul? After a long day of classes, my go-to form of relaxation would consist of consuming massive amounts of those magical peanut butter cups. It’s a good thing I didn’t bring my candy stash to school, or I’d probably resemble plumped-up Violet from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by now. While I personally enjoy shoving candy down my throat, many other students have alternative (and often more health-conscious) ways to relieve stress and relax.

1. “If I could go on runs without getting miserably lost, you’d see me daily on the IU campus. However, as a freshman, the chances of me making my way back to my dorm are severely slim. But, with all the work I have, going to the gym serves as an outlet for me to relieve my stress and relax.” – Lauren Ginsburg, Freshman, Indiana University at Bloomington

2. “Naps on naps on naps. My face is basically buried in my pillow at any free moment in my day. I make time for work, but I always have to prioritize my naps. Otherwise, I’d be a walking zombie around campus.” – Rachel Schneider, Freshman, University of Maryland

3. “The best way for me to relieve stress is to first, set small goals. Once you get started on that small goal, build on it. The toughest part is the start. For me, I like to do my work in increments. So if I’m doing a reading, I’ll start with the first few sentences, take a break, grab a snack, walk around, then return to finish the page.” – Max Gold, Sophomore, University of Delaware

4. “At home, I’d come home from school, take a nap, watch some TV, obviously the Food Network or SNL, and it would take some stress off. I like to continue that routine here because it’s helping me get acclimated to all the free time and also making this place feel more like home.” – Courtney Kaufman, Freshman, Syracuse University

5. “To relieve my near constant stress in college, I turn to Netflix and delivery food. As generic as it is, that’s my escape from the constant pressures of work and school. I love that when I call the local pizza shop–they already know my regular order–because it means I can enjoy the next episode of Dexter without leaving the comfort of my apartment.” — Cassidy Oberfeld, Sophomore, Duke University

6. “It is very important to me that I make time to go out to meals or cook dinner in my apartment with friends because it’s a great time to catch up and not think about all of the work that I have to be doing, while doing something (eating) that is necessary to do during the day.” — Rikki Miner, Junior, University of Michigan

7. “Going for a run definitely helps me calm down when I’m overwhelmed with homework or my job.” – Julie Harans, Junior, University of Miami

8. “Food is my fuel. You can find me chomping on chips, cookies and the all-too-heavenly peanut butter and apple combo. Food keeps me focused and helps me relax after a day of classes and hours of homework.” – Emily Fowler, Freshman, University of Maryland

9. “Obviously going out with my friends is an easy way to take a break from the chaos of college, but also just watching sports keeps my mind off all the stressful stuff. Sometimes I’ll go on a nature walk with some friends to clear my mind or I’ll go hangout at the beach.” – Ross Finkel, Senior, University of Florida

10. “The way I relieve the most hectic times is by placing all my obligations into a calendar and finding set times where I can sit and just read. Reading books and articles always help me put my responsibilities into perspective and allows me to take a step back from all the stress.” – Matt Smith, Junior, Temple University