I will be the first to admit that it is hard for me to relax during finals, especially when everyone around me is freaking out. The weeks leading up to finals are basically the worst time of the year, especially during spring term. Summer is staring us all in the face, but we have mountains of projects, papers, reading, and random homework to do before we can throw on our favorite cut off shorts and sit by a lake for three months straight.

But girls, don’t let that get you down. There are lots of ways to relax when everyone you know is having a minor brain aneurysm.

1. Indulge.
I don’t know about you guys, but when articles tell me to “eat healthy snacks!” when I’m stressed, I just want to punch the writer in the face. You don’t know me. When I’m writing a 15-page history paper at 3am in the library, you know what I don’t want? A carrot stick. However, I will take an entire pizza and a chocolate milkshake, thanks. All I’m saying is: if eating a whole thing of Kraft mac’n’cheese and a plate of cookies is going to make you feel good for at least at hour, do it… just so you don’t strangle that girl next to you in the computer lab. (How to make your favorite unhealthy foods healthy)

2. Sweat it out.
You might be lacking on time to eat, time to sleep, and time to finish that project you’ve been procrastinating doing for two weeks…but make some time to sweat out your frustration. Go for a run, do some yoga, find a sweet kickboxing video and punch the air. Trust me, you’ll thank me when you remain calm when someone reminds you that your big paper is due in a week. (This will also burn of all those calories that you consume from indulging.)

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According to the Daily Beast, Columbia University, my school, offers the most stressful undergraduate experience in the country.

Admittedly, taking a tour of any campus library during midterms or finals is enough to set your nerves on edge. Under-eye bags are as common on campus as Longchamp bags. Many students (especially first-years) constantly complain about their work overload. However, during my three years here, I have never pulled an all-nighter, missed a deadline, asked for an extension, or taken Adderall, caffeine pills or any type of energy drink (though, admittedly, I was studying abroad during the era of Fourloko).

Is this some sort of miracle? Am I a genius? Do I have photographic memory? No, I wish, and that actually doesn’t exist. But that’s another story. What I am is organized and realistic. And successful.

Here are some of my tips for keeping it all together. Read More »

[It's a new year (which I am having trouble remembering when I have to write the date on anything), meaning it's the perfect time to wipe that slate clean and start anew. And we're gonna help you out. Every Thursday in January we're bringing you advice from experts on ways to improve yourself and your life. From mental health to making the most of your workspace, we'll all work together to get our lives, health and GPAs back on track. First we feng shui-ed our rooms to make them happier, more productive places; now it's time to overhaul our inner selves with mind/body coach, Sarah Yost.]

Stressors in life are inevitable: deadlines, expectations, the lack of time to do it all. But you don’t have to be at the mercy of those things. The less you stress the better you’ll feel and the more you’ll accomplish. Think about your energy as if you have a finite amount of it every day. If you use a lot of it stressing out about things beyond your control, you’re left without the energy you need to actually do the things that matter to you.

So how does one simply not stress?

Try these six easy tips to calm down and preserve your energy so you can accomplish everything on your plate and all those other things you just want to have time for.

Attend to your breath.
You know how people are always telling you to “just breath”? Well, there’s a reason for it! Full diaphragmatic breaths aren’t going to cut a full fledged panic attack, but they will make a noticeable difference. Full breaths change you physiologically, bringing more oxygen to your blood, slowing the heart rate and soothing the nervous system.

Try this: Inhale through the nose to the count of four, exhale through your mouth to the count of four.  Do that four times. That simple exercise will make a huge difference, and it takes less than a minute and you can do it anywhere with your eyes open. No one needs to know what you’re up to and you don’t need to schedule any extra time in your busy day to find some inner peace. Read More »

As the majority of the readers on this site will know, college admissions are a painful and infuriating process. Nowadays our society puts so much pressure on us to attend good schools that many of us begin to feel that, should we not get into college, we’ll be living in refrigerator boxes on the street. (Although it was brought to my attention that, if you’re lucky, you could end up being one of the slightly more fortunate homeless people of California that get one of these cool portable shelters. Doesn’t really make you feel better, but good to know.)

Statistically, my class (2009) is due for the worst admissions season yet.

The root of the problem lies in “boom and bust” population demographics. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the baby boomers generation began to have children and thus created another wave of growth. As this new generation began to enter high school and apply to college, the number of applications began to increase and the number of students admitted decrease.

Basically, if you were born during the latter half of 1990 or in 1991, you’re screwed. Read More »

The plane has crashed into the Hudson River. OMFG.

Lindsay Lohan a (super skinny) lesbian again.

Stoners Beware: Huge PB cracker recall!

Fold-up sunglasses? Awesome.

Newsflash: poor economy frightens graduating seniors. 

20 ways to guarantee an audition in front of the American Idol judges.

Do CoverGirl Outlast Lipstains really work?

Don’t let college stress bring you down.

A graph of Obama expectations.

College is stressful, but the consolation prize is knowing we’ll get out and long for the days of midterms and class registration once reality sets in. Fun as the fantasy-land of undergrad is, however, while you’re trying to get through that mess of deciding your future, it’s hard not to look back on even better times.

Say, age six.

Think about the perks. You were evaluated on your ability to stay in the lines and write legibly. The worst part of your day was discovering that Mom forgot a Snack-Pack in your lunch, or that there was no chocolate milk available from the cafeteria. Your only concern about boys was getting chased by them on the playground, and a kiss on the cheek prompted many an “ew!” It was all set up for you, you just had to show up.

And so, below I’ve constructed a list of things we should reinstate into our lives that have been long-gone since kindergarten: Read More »