Anxiety is something we all deal with. Unfortunately, the end of high school and the beginning of college are usually when people start developing occasional anxiety symptoms. Here is a wonderful article from Hack College on dealing with anxiety.

Put The Electronics Away

That bright screen, all those graphics, the thought of all the homework, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube – NO.

That’s too much.

Put your laptop and phone away and give your mind a break. Sometimes you just can’t focus when you’re staring at a screen.

Take A Second

Close your eyes and take a deep breath.

The more you think about the panic attack you’re trying to avoid, the more anxiety you’ll experience. It’s one of those vicious cycles that are incredibly hard to break.

Take your mind off of it by…

Doodling

Go the old fashioned route.

Grab pen and paper and start doodling. Focus on your hand moving across the paper.

This is my go-to trick when I’m in the middle of class and it gets too loud or all of my obligations start running through my head, threatening to completely overwhelm me.

It gives me a moment to check out and focus on my sanity and myself.

Prioritize

To-do lists are lifesavers.

I cannot tell you the amount of times that making a to-do list and planning when I’ll get to check everything off really calmed me down.

Sometimes, all it takes is realizing you do have time to handle everything on your plate—then the stress dissipates.

Go For A Walk

Nothing can mess you up more than sitting in one spot for too long.

Get up and take a walk. Even if you’re in the middle of class. Go to the bathroom for a minute—take the time you need. You’re not going to learn anything with your mind racing anyway.

Don’t Take A Nap

Resist it.

Believe me, when I’m in the middle of trying to keep myself from having an anxiety attack, all I can think about is taking a nap.

Though rest and distraction are helpful, using naps as a crutch isn’t a great habit to get into. Frequent naps can disrupt sleep patterns, and getting consistent sleep is important whether you’re facing anxiety, depression or generalized stress.

Plus, if your anxiety sticks around, you’ll be taking naps more and more often and for longer periods of time.

Instead of going down this road, try something else to take your mind off of things.

More: Getting Through Anxiety