It’s no secret that engineering is one of the most rigorous course curriculums you can pursue – stress management is an essential part of your development as an engineering student. Here’s how I do it:
1. Reward your successes.
Incentivizing hard work and rewarding yourself when you achieve your goals is a great exercise in relieving stress. I like to scale my reward with the magnitude of my achievement. Completed homework – candy (don’t judge my sweet tooth). Aced an exam – take a night off. Find the rhythm that works for you.
2. Don’t get hung up on your failures.
You won’t succeed at everything you try your hand at. I can guarantee you’ll get a C on an exam sooner or later. When this happens, it’s important not to let yourself be devastated – simply learn from your failure and move past it.
3. Take a day off, once in awhile.
In the midst of chasing your goals and pursuing excellence, it’s important to take a day to let yourself do what you want to do. A hakuna matata day, if you will. On my days off I like to catch up with friends I haven’t seen in awhile, and maybe get some writing in. You’d be surprised what wonders a dedicated day off will do for your stress management.
An excerpt from my last day off.
