91探花

Winter quarter (or any quarter, honestly) can be stressful for a variety of reasons鈥攁nything from the lack of sunlight to a mid-year motivation slump, a tough course load or just feeling stuck in a rut. If you find yourself facing a lot of stress, overwhelm, or are feeling really tense, try some of these tricks to make life feel a little more manageable鈥攁nd enjoyable.

1. Join a club – for fun!

During your first days at UW, the sheer number of activities and opportunities can be overwhelming, but it鈥檚 so easy to play it safe, fall into a routine, and never look back. When you鈥檙e super focused on your classes and leadership activities, sometimes your hobbies fall by the wayside to your busy schedule. If you鈥檙e stressed or feeling burnt聽out, doing something you鈥檙e passionate about or enjoy can do wonders for your mood. Could聽an a capella group, the Hiking Club, the Cooking & Baking Club, or Badminton Club be perfect for you? Find out – and explore the full list of UW鈥檚 1,000+ other student clubs on . (P.S. If you don’t see one that strikes your fancy, you聽can always start your own!) Check out the infographic聽at left to find out how.

2. Head outside

that time in nature and time by bodies of water can dramatically reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Don鈥檛 let scattered showers deter you鈥攇rab a jacket or umbrella and head outside! Whether it鈥檚 five minutes on a bench under the Ship Canal Bridge, a stroll down to the 91探花Farm, or just a quick bike ride on the Burke Gilman Trail, just a little time outside can make a big difference in your mood.

3. Pick up a book

There鈥檚 something about the physical act of paging through a book that helps you get “in the zone” and escape the daily grind for a little while. Whether you devour mystery novels or love a good biography, you can easily find something to read at Suzzallo and Allen Libraries or in Odegaard Undergraduate Library. The most popular mainstream reads are stocked behind the help desk of Odegaard on the second floor, and are available in many languages. (Pro tip: Keep an eye out for 鈥渂ook blind date鈥� shelves in Ode, where occasionally librarians set up books wrapped聽in brown paper with only a brief description written on the front鈥攕uch a fun surprise once you take it home!)

If you鈥檙e a currently enrolled 91探花student, all you need is your Husky card to check out your books. If you live in the UW-Seattle dorms or near Seattle campus, you can also register for a free Seattle Public Library card, which will not only let you check out books from their branches, but also give you access to a huge range of audiobooks and ebooks you can download to your device. More info on how to get a SPL library card on the 聽(you must have valid ID and proof of address).

4. Take advantage of free events聽

Every once in a while, you just have to take a study break and do something totally new. What better way than to head to one of the thousands聽of free events that take place every month聽in Seattle? Even if you don鈥檛 love it, you shook up your daily routine, got out of your comfort zone, and didn鈥檛 waste any money. Here are a few of my favorites coming up:

• This book club discussion of John Green鈥檚 latest novel, Turtles All The Way Down, at the UBookstore on the Ave
• Pasifik Voices Winter 2018, an event celebrating Pacific Islander music, dance, art, poetry, and more, at the Ethnic Cultural Theater
• The Yule Ball 2018, at the HUB South Ballroom for all the diehard Harry Potter fans out there
• Harry Potter Trivia Night (in case the Yule Ball just wasn鈥檛 enough)
• The Seattle Symphony & the Roosevelt High School Orchestra are giving a free classical music concert at Roosevelt High School, featuring works by Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky
• These fun & free modern dance workshops, co-hosted by CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work and The City of Bellevue Parks and Community Services Department.
• And don鈥檛 forget that many Seattle museums are free on the first Thursday of every month.

5. Sweat it out

As Elle Woods once said, 鈥淓xercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy.鈥� This might be a slight oversimplification, but it鈥檚 undeniable that exercise has when it comes to managing stress. Head down to , take a leisurely jog to Gasworks Park, or even grab a canoe from the Waterfront Activities Center on a clear day. Getting some exercise doesn鈥檛 have to mean hours on a treadmill or training for a marathon鈥攊t could be as simple as walking across campus instead of taking the bus, or trying out some new with the Mindfulness Pass.

6. Zone out with a great movie or TV show

I couldn鈥檛 find any scientific data to back me up, but I鈥檓 pretty sure that curling up with a good binge-watching session is every college student鈥檚 favorite activity. You鈥檝e probably already got your go-to sites and shows, but here are just a few suggestions if you want to mix things up.

• hosts frequent movie nights, usually with films that aren鈥檛 available on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, etc., like Alfred Hitchcock鈥檚 Rear Window or 500 Days of Summer. Their events are totally free, so follow the 91探花Film Club Facebook page to see upcoming movie nights you might be interested in. They also collaborate with movie studios pretty often, so you might also get the chance to win free passes to advance screenings of upcoming Hollywood movies before they鈥檙e open to the general public!
• If you live in the 91探花dorms, you can enjoy movie nights hosted by the 鈥攁 few recent flicks include Baby Driver, Spiderman: Homecoming, and Blade Runner. Free popcorn & lemonade are provided! (Must be a current HFS resident.)
• Dorm residents also get complimentary streaming HuskyTV (powered by philo.com) and access to HBO GO.
• You can also borrow DVDs of movies and tv shows from Suzzallo and Allen Libraries, or request them online if they鈥檙e currently checked out by someone else. Just and get started!

7. Get more sleep

When it feels like there just isn鈥檛 enough time in the day to get everything done, sleep is usually the first thing to go. However, this can actually have during your waking hours, potentially leading to decreased academic performance, increased mental health issues, and a weakened immune system. Getting a good night鈥檚 sleep will actually make you more productive the next day, helping you get through that mile-long to-do list. Try setting an alarm on your phone 30-60 minutes before you plan to go to bed to remind you to start winding down for the night, or schedule a 20-minute power nap during the day.

8. Use the sun lamps聽

While complaining about the constant Seattle gloom may be a popular extracurricular for most 91探花students, its effects can be more than just annoying. Seasonal Affective Disorder, caused by reduced natural light, affects more than three million people a year and can be especially widespread during the winter. Symptoms include mood changes and聽increased appetite, as well as changes to your weight, sleep habits,聽and activity levels. The 91探花Counseling Center offers free light therapy for currently enrolled UW-Seattle students who are affected. Call (206) 543-1240 to schedule an intake appointment聽(which is required before beginning sessions with the special light box for treatment).

9. Ask for help

Let鈥檚 be honest鈥攁 lot of our stress as college students comes from our academics. Maybe you鈥檙e applying for a competitive major or just worried about your next Econ exam, but there are a ton of academic resources at 91探花here to help.

• Your professors. Go to office hours! They want to make sure you understand the material, and they鈥檙e the expert on what they鈥檙e teaching, so if you鈥檙e confused about something in class, who better to ask than your prof? If you鈥檙e really interested in the subject they teach, they might also be able to suggest other classes or programs you might enjoy.
• Your TA鈥檚. They鈥檙e students just like you, so it can be less intimidating to ask them for help instead of your professor, especially if you鈥檙e in a 500-person lecture.
• Study centers & tutoring. Struggling with a philosophy essay? Make an appointment at the . Think you might have a question on your Math 126 homework? Work on it at the , where TA鈥檚 are available to help if you run into a tricky section. The holds drop-in help for many classes, along with exam reviews and class discussions. An appointment at the can help you refine your research paper or brainstorm new insights for your English 111 essay. Check out more resources on the .
• Academic advisers. Their full-time job is helping you along your academic career! They can help you identify academic strengths & weaknesses, suggest career paths, help you pick courses, and help you create long-term academic plans.

10. Explore somewhere new

In my opinion, one of the best things about being a Husky is getting to live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. With the UPass on your Husky Card, why not carve out some time to explore a little? Take a quick day trip to Bremerton on the Kitsap Fast Ferry, head to Golden Gardens Beach, or hunt down some hidden gems in Fremont or the International District. A change of scenery can help you return to your routine refreshed & inspired.

While the weather outside might be dark & gloomy, try these tips to brighten your mood this winter quarter! Have any advice of your own to beat stress or stay upbeat? Let us know on Facebook, Instagram, or at dawglife@uw.edu.

And finally – if you feel like you might need a little extra help, don鈥檛 hesitate to reach out to or the . If you鈥檙e experiencing anxiety, depression, or other negative emotions, they鈥檙e here to support you.

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Student Life blogger Hannah McConnaughey is a 91探花senior studying Marketing and English聽who聽is also involved with the American Marketing Association and . When not pitching, writing or editing blog posts for UWSL, you’re likely to聽find her聽making PowerPoint presentations for a case competition or ordering a vanilla latte on the Ave. To suggest a topic for the UWSL blog, email dawglife@uw.edu.