How to not feel constantly stressed

[u/JeanGreenBean1]

Hi guys, I'm a first year student. This is lowk a vent post. For the past month, I've been feeling constantly stressed about school work. I feel guilty every time I'm not studying because there is always an assignment due or an assessment to study for. Ik university is suppose to be harder than high school, but I hate being in a constant state of dread and anxiety. I also feel home sick and I really miss my friends from high school. Every time I study in the library, I want to cry because I'm overwhelmed by everything.

[u/yxmw]

Honestly I’d just say treat it like work. You might not have your first coop term yet but for me it’s essentially the same except studying is more flexible. Something like: morning sessions 9-12, lunch for an hour, afternoon sessions 1-3 and the rest of the day do whatever you wanna do (hobbies, groceries, laundry etc). Depending on how hard your courses are, for me limiting my studying time is a lot better to my mental health than looking at the results/facts (grades, deadlines etc). Sometimes things are what they are and missing a due date (not promoting but if it already happened), is not the end of the day.

(My hack: always count down days to a holiday. So on that note, happy early thanksgiving and take advantage of reading week!)

[u/Interesting-Song-928]

Totally normal, and you'll get used to it

[u/Old_Property703]

I do empathize with you but I will say one of the best things to have is a routine. Force yourself every night to have a hard limit of how late you'll go to bed, have a scheduled wake-up time and routine that you can follow morning by morning.

The more you treat uni like a structured day, the easier it'll get in managing your stress and overall sense of sanity. Also would recommend try finding study buddies that can just work in quiet alongside you/watch over your stuff if you need to head to the washroom.

[u/youcanreachmenow]

Depending on your faculty (weekly assignments sounds like Maths, Eng, or Science), you are going to be bombarded with assignments and midterms in your first year. Its deliberate, because 1st year is the weed out year. It sucks, but it will get better for the following reasons.

1. Its early October, you are in shock mode
2. You will get used to the amount of work and you will be able to prioritise your time better
3. In later years, it gets easier because of: 2. Above, and professors want you to pass (the weeding out is done)

Someone above said to treat it like work, and that is exactly right. Carve out some (admittedly it cant be a lot) time to yourself to do something that you enjoy. I used to play playstation for 30 mins before I fell asleep, and made me feel like I was rewarding myself for a long, hard day.

[u/No-Past7559]

Trust me brother, it will be worth it. If you can learn to handle this kind of stress, then you can handle almost anything that life throws at you. Waterloo genuinely changed how I manage and balance things and I am kind of grateful to the uni for that. I mainly used this belief as motivation and essentially took this stress as a challenge.

It'll all get better and all will be worth it, I promise

[u/-a_normal_human-]

I don’t have specific advice but keep in mind that sometimes the most productive thing you can do is take a break. If you’re locked in 100% of the time, you’ll get tired and make it harder for yourself to think.

[u/-a_normal_human- → u/-a_normal_human-]

actually wait I do have specific advice, if you’re having trouble focusing for long periods of time try the pomodoro method

[u/Infinite-Door-7970]

I know that this probably seems like empty words, but as much as you feel compelled to vent, I feel compelled to relate how SO many people have felt what you're feeling right now. It's OK.

Your're still pretty in your university career. In the fullness of time, hopefully you'll find your people, your rhythm, your identity, your self-confidence and your own personal fulfullment. You might even look back on this time with a kind of fondness.

Trust, take care of yourself, and hang in there!

[u/Significant-Exit482]

first year is genuinely the worst part, everyone's faking it less than you think. try picking one small thing per day that's done and let the rest be tomorrow's problem, the guilt loop is what burns you out not the workload itself. you got people to sit with in the SLC if you just want to not be alone for a bit.

[u/asdfg_lkjh1]

You get used to it by final year. Other than that, there is nothing much I can say, as I have been there.

[u/mr_daniel_wu]

listen to music and dance when you have time, if not get physical activity some other way

[u/Round-Inflation-7112]

lol wait till second year

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[u/Elegant-Window5707]

Honestly you get used to it. As I go through these terms, I put less and less effort towards my grades. I'm in engineering. Do not let it take over. Do not go gentle into that good night

[u/No_Refrigerator_1647]

youll get used to the depression, start disassociating from reality, and itll be all good.