By Millie Hardman

The ultimate guide to beating college stress, one friend at a time. From classes to revision, mocks to the real thing, college can be a stressful time, but it doesn’t have to be. One too many times, I’ve found myself with that familiar feeling: “There’s just isn’t any time!” But, from one frenzied student to another, I assure you, there is a solution out there – company. Below, the ultimate guide to beating college stress, one friend at a time.

Step one – believing.

Before you run to check your schedule, fingers skimming over tightly-packed boxes, I urge you to take advice from the academic standard, Oxford. As suggested by the university’s Wellbeing Research centre, even a “One-point increase in self-reported happiness led to around a 12% increase in productivity.” And what better way to achieve this morale boost than spending some much-needed time with friends? Still, I do sympathise with that manic mess that many of us have come to call our Google Calendar, so I understand that making time for friends without falling behind feels like the toughest assignment yet. However, it can be done.

Step 2 – grab a snack.

Here at Priestley, we’re fortunate enough to be surrounded by options. Practically overrun by bakeries and coffee shops, Priestley acts as the primordial bubble at the centre of its very own sweet treat mind map, and such luck cannot be wasted. To do so would be an utter disservice, to your mind and gut alike. So, find your next free, pack up your books (and a friend), and pick a direction. Take it from a devout patron of nearly every local coffee shop, the walk is well worth it. To me, there is no better sound than those barely bottled shouts that bubble up amongst coffee steam, flashcards taunting you from a friend across the table. If that seems too much of a stretch, however, you can always check in with barista Jackie and grab a snack right here at college.

Step 3 – leave your room.

If you want to spend time with friends whilst also expanding your knowledge base, look no further than extra-curriculars, and look no further than Priestley. Whether you feel like learning something new, mastering a skill, or just having a gab amongst like-minded individuals, Priestley’s extra-curriculars are the place for you. From Movie Fights to The Classics Society, the choices are endless. You need not burden your desk chair any longer, that darkened spot stuffed, disregarded, into the corner of your room. Instead, pull a chair up to the table and enjoy. Surround yourself with a culture of passionate interest and you’ll be shocked by the results.

Step 4 – into the sunlight.

When, at long last, this merciless rain ceases and the melancholy wash of your weather app succumbs to the lighter greys of a British summer, there is only one thing left to do: go outside. Spending your day in revision-captivity, fans blaring, cheek pressed up against the sun-warmed window, it’s no wonder that concentration feels impossible. However, just outside, waits the rural revision of a lifetime (even if it is just the local field). So, blow that dust off your SPF, and squash your revision notes beside the food, for work feels best, works best, with the company of vitamin D and a friend.

Ultimately, the question is simple – waste time stressing (the ultimate 2-for-1 vicious cycle), or ring a friend and have some fun? The choice is yours.