Six Ways to Beat the Midterm Stress

What am I doing with my life?

It’s that time of the semester again!

For many schools around the country, or world, it’s midterm examination time! It’s a stressful time for students as they cram for tests the night before, knowing full well they should have studied since the start of the term. It is also a stressful time for teachers as we have to watch our students take exams, and then grade them (the sucky part of teaching). And we all know each and every student will pass with flying colors. 😉

If only parents could understand this.

 Six things you can do to beat stress

1. Take a nap. – Really, naps are just as much for adults as they are for preschoolers.
2. Color pretty pictures. – Art therapy is not new by any means, but the act of coloring and focusing on a simple task can help reduce stress and anxiety.
3. Take a beer bath. – Soaking in a bathtub full of beer may be strangely relaxing. Recently a growing number of beer spas now offer beer baths that claim to beat stress. Although the benefits haven’t been proven, Muskin said there’s reason to believe that beer baths could ease stress. The hops found in beer are phytoestrogens, and their fragrance could be stress-relieving to some, he explained.
4. Clean your apartment or home. – I love having a clean apartment. There’s nothing like that feeling you get when you look at your freshly cleaned home and take a big whiff of Pine-sol (I don’t really use that here in Korea). The act of doing some repetitive chore can be relaxing since you don’t have to think about it.
5. Exercise. – Working out is a great way to boost your mood and reduce stress. It helps your body produce endorphins, which make you feel good. Even daily walks of 30 minutes can help reduce stress levels but it’s even better to work out intensively. It’s also good to get outside if the weather is nice.
6. Laugh. – They say that laughter is the best medicine, and it’s really true. Laughing out loud increases oxygen and blood flow which automatically reduces stress.

Don’t let stress beat you down, instead you beat it down!