21 replies to this topic

[jenene]

Deas IB students out there!
I am very stressed and I am even getting zits from all the stress! Waking up early, going to bed late. I am tired and stressed, think the message has come through (stressed). So...

Any IB tips regarding how to release stress? (Very needed)

Cheers.

[kim luffy]

Hey there, it's very normal I get stressed all the time and end up falling sick because of it. What i do is listen to calming music, not do my work for a few days and relax, sleep when i get the time and just do something that distracts your mind. Do something you enjoy. Go out even though you have work. As long as you're good with your time management skills, it shouldn't be hard. I hope i helped Don't worry too much and IB2 is going to be a whole more stressful lol.

[vestes22]

I don't know how busy your schedule is, but try taking a little time each day and use it for something specifically not related to school or other activities you participate in. Read a book for fun, or take a nap, or hang out with a friend.

It's important to know when you need a break. If you're working on an essay or something, you aren't going to be very productive if you're overly stressed. If you are, take a breath and relax for a minute. When you get back you'll be able to focus much better and it does wonders for your mental health.

Also, make sure you stay on top of your work. Waiting until the last minute to finish important assignments is like inviting Stress to move in with you.

[jenene]

Thanks guys, will try it out!

[Desy Glau]

do your hobbies!

I like listening to music, so I always listen to something when I'm doing my work. it helps decrease the stress in a way

and just spend some time doing things that you like, even though you think you don't have the time. it helps make you feel better and ready to work again!

[Sandwich]

I would also recommend exercise as very de-stressing Tiring yourself out at the end of a day so you sleep like a log = brilliant.

[alexis0123]

I listen to music like all the time. It makes me feel better and decreases the stress I have. I also love to exercise. When I'm stressed, I go to the gym, or go to the trail and run a few miles. My favorite sport is soccer, so I love playing that to reduce my stress too

[Sabs44]

Also just try thinking about the big picture. Overall, who really cares if you get a 6 or a 7 on some minor piece of homework? Just set goals, work to attain them, and don't worry away the best years of your life!

[Gaby]

Have a "day off". For me, it's Friday afternoon, after I come back from school. After I eat dinner, I make myself a huge cup of tea, a bowl of popcorn, lock myself away in my room and watch TV Shows that have accumulated during the school week. And no one is to disturb me then. Even my whole class knows not to want anything from me on Friday afternoon/evening because it's "Gaby's Friday". I never touch anything school-related on Friday.

But if it's not Friday, and I'm stressed, I eat. Chocolate, cookies (I bake them myself, so at least I know what is in them), sandwiches, whatever I can find. Or take a book and go to the bathroom for 10-15 minutes. Or go talk to my mum. Or take a bath/shower. Options are countless.

[Daniel Inchan Jung]

jenene, on Dec 01, 2011 - 21:29, said:

Deas IB students out there!
I am very stressed and I am even getting zits from all the stress! Waking up early, going to bed late. I am tired and stressed, think the message has come through (stressed). So...

Any IB tips regarding how to release stress? (Very needed)

Cheers.

How to not get stressed:

• You know what they say. The key to happiness is to lower your expectations. If all you care about are high marks (95+ % range), trust me on this one, stress will come to you regardless of how well you are doing at school.
  
• Instead of studying through the night, get a good night's rest. You will remember a whole lot more by getting ample (okay, decent) sleep and continuing the studies in the morning.
  
• Take advantage of CAS. Find something that interests you and do it in your spare time.
  
• Make a schedule. Do NOT procrastinate. If you do/will procrastinate, make room for something so that you can let your mind wander for a temporary time frame. For instance, study for one whole hour. Take a break.
  
• Find a study method that works for you. Personally I'll just re-write notes, or if I'm in a rush, I'll study while exercising. The idea behind this is that your whole body - including the brain - gets rejuvenated (oxygenated blood, duh).
  
• Make room so that you can rest once in a while. For instance, occasionally on weekdays I will do hardcore FPS scrimmages for one hour at the end of my day to rest.
  
• Prioritize. Studying to get one extra mark in Physics/Math HL isn't as important as studying for [subject]Insert Subject Here[/subject].

How to release stress:

• The punching bag at the local (boxing) gym is your friend (CAS hours - if you also work out)
  
• Do something creative; just being ambiguous here. Sometimes I dump all my emotions into my poetry (CAS hours).
  
• Etc.

[EmskyBizz]

Like so many others have said, music definitely helps. I myself like doing yoga to release my stress, because it just lets my mind wander.
Commiserating with other fellow IB students can also help.
If none of those things work, sometimes all you need is a good cry, especially if you are like me and you hold it all in until it explodes. True story. That happened to me just today and I felt better afterwards.

[Avan:)]

I meditate, trust me it really helps.
Try relaxing early in the morning and then once you start studying, focus only on one thing at a time.
The reason why I stress sometimes is, for example while doing maths, my mind is worrying about the biology lab reports due after christmas
And it's really pointless. So FORGET about everything else when you are doing one thing.
Also get off of youtube, it only usually worsens procrastination habits, when you are not using it constructively.

and let me quote something :

"Mix it up. Study one subject for an hour, take a break, and then continue with another subject. It's natural to want variety so that you stay interested in what you are trying to learn. If you find a particular subject boring, sandwich it between two subjects you enjoy."

Good luck!

[breanna_cheer]

Sleep!

When you plan on working for long while, take breaks.

Go for a walk in a park or something. It's very relaxing.

Remember: no university will care if you get a low grade on a random little quiz.

Excersize. MAJOR stress releaser. Swimming is relaxing to me

Take a day to go do an activity or go out with friends or just do something you love. It will make you not think about school for a while and therefore release some stress.

There's always someone more stressed than you! Remember that!


Hope this helped a little.

[Babydolleyes]

jenene, on Dec 01, 2011 - 21:29, said:

Deas IB students out there!
I am very stressed and I am even getting zits from all the stress! Waking up early, going to bed late. I am tired and stressed, think the message has come through (stressed). So...

Any IB tips regarding how to release stress? (Very needed)

Cheers.

Rant, rant and rant! Let out your stress and let off the steam. You must have a loved one (parent, relative, friend, boyfriend) go to them and try to let it all out because sometimes it's like the whole world is on our shoulders when in IB. It's vital to know how to deal with stress within this program (haha I assume you know this already). Procrastination is the worst; commit, commit, commit! Whether you commit to studying or NOT, don't live in the unknown, you are just going to feel guilty afterwards. Also, try to manage and organize your time as well as possible. Good luck!

[Fatih313]

1. Do meditation. At least 5-10 minutes per day.
2. Hang out with friends and have some fun!
3. Just neglect your small pieces of homework which are less important.
4. Try not to think about other things that are not related to you at all.
5. Sleep when you feel tired.

Hope it helps!

[Babydolleyes]

jenene, on Dec 01, 2011 - 21:29, said:

Deas IB students out there!
I am very stressed and I am even getting zits from all the stress! Waking up early, going to bed late. I am tired and stressed, think the message has come through (stressed). So...

Any IB  tips regarding how to release stress? (Very needed)

Cheers.

It's so important that you don't have a breakdown because that will only make matters worse, probably waste a lot of time and you will just get behind on work. Its so important that you take a deep breath and do something relaxing when you feel like pulling your hair out because you won't get any work done when you are freaking out. Do everything that comforts you, it will only motivate you to get back to studying. Also, I see you are graduating 2013 like me; which means you have an awesome summer ahead, which you HAVE to take advantage of. It will relieve a lot of stress during IB2, whether you choose to spend your summer revising or reading ahead on top of your written assignment and EE. I feel like in IB, no matter how organized you are and no matter how much time you spend studying, it's almost impossible to get ''ahead'' and once you finally get space to breathe you are so overwhelmed that you just need to take a break and be lazy. You just have to be brave, this process is going to be over before you know it. Make sure you are eating enough and try to catch up on sleep when you can and drink loooooaads of water. I sincerely hope you are getting a lot of support from the non-IB people around you such as parents, and that they have lessened your workloads as for chores and stuff like that, because those are the craziest stories I have ever heard - Having to be in IB and study non stop yet you still need to do all your old house chores and everything simultaneously, I can't even imagine how overwhelming that must be.

[Positron]

Easiest way to get rid of all stress: just make a decision to not to stress. Stress is not some unstoppable force of nature (in fact "stress" was invented somewhere in the early 1900s), if you want to, you can just make a conscious decision to not to stress. Has worked well for me at least

[John H Z]

I just read off all those motivational phrases on those Halls Cough Drop wrappers. Instant cheer up!

[Ellina]

Pick up a good read or any book that can be used as light reading. Sometimes it helps if you could just feel like you can escape from the world and enter another. Watching movies may induce a similar feeling
Eating comfort food helps me... when I'm stressed, I just eat all my favourite food! Finally, you can try going to the root of the problem. Perhaps you should change your working habits. You'd be surprised by the power of prioritization. Sort out your priorities and tackle them on one by one!

[lauramichaels]

I found a very helpful website on stress while i was searching for revision tips!! It tells you how to relax and concentrate better when you are trying to study. It was really useful, the thing is the guy says he will start charging at the beginning of may, so maybe just check it out now and see what you think.

I am sharing it because it has helped me a lot in past few days of revision (I am at uni now) I wish I had found it while I was sitting my IB exams, I tend to get far too stressed. The link is http://stressintofocus.com

good luck!