The average student puts on 15lbs of weight in his or her first year of college (the so-called "freshman 15"), can often feel overwhelmed with schedules and classes, and can often seek relief in unhealthy pleasures such as alcohol and drugs.

This article aims to help provide some less self-destructive stress management tips for college students.

Check Out These Stress Management Tips for College Students

#1. "Healthy body, healthy mind", the saying goes, and this holds especially true in a stressful situation like college.

#2. Eating right and exercising regularly can do wonders for a college student's state of mind. If that is not enough, you might like to consider yoga.

#3. Yoga is the use of posture to reduce stress. Bear in mind, though, that some church-run colleges frown upon the practice due to its Hindu origins. In recent years, some Christian yoga DVDs have come on the market combining yoga disciplines with traditional Christian prayers, so these may be considered more  acceptable.

#4. A major cause of stress for college students is the feeling that they are on their own, compared with the sheltered environment of living with their parents or legal guardians. Whilst it would be foolish to pretend that family life is without pressures (holiday stress management tips deserve an article all to themselves!), keeping in touch with your family can help reduce this feeling of isolation.

#5. There are also new social connections to be forged on the college campus itself. Fraternities, sororities, clubs and societies can help you connect with people who have similar interests to yours. These networks often continue later into adult life and can help you in the future when it comes to finding a job etc.

#6. Another common stressor at college is the fear of doing too much and losing track of all your classes, exam and assignments. Make sure that you create a detailed schedule and stick to it.

#7. Be sure to give yourself plenty of wiggle room when it comes to the timing of each task. You never know when something unexpected is going to crop up and mess with your carefully thought out plans. If you build in extra time, these surprises will cause you far less stress than they would otherwise.

Everyone from young children to college students can feel intense amounts of stress. No matter your age, there are simple ways to deal with your emotions so that you do not bottle them up. After all, if you ignore how you are feeling, chances are high that you will erupt when you least expect it.

Kids Stress Management Tips

The following are some stress managment tips for kids, teens, and college students that are sure to help individuals blow of some steam and relieve their tension.

#1. If you have a stressed out or anxious kid, you should give them a way to let out their feelings in a productive manner. Thus, one of the most basic stress managment tips for kids is to give them an activity that helps them work out their anger and anxiety.

#2. Let them go for a run, give them a punching bag, or even let them throw things like eggs and fruit at walls. This way, they can work out their raw emotions and will not keep them bottled up inside. The satisfaction of hearing an egg crack, punching a foam bag, or an increase in adrenaline is a successful and healthy way to get rid of stress. Thus, this stress managment tip for kids will give them a safe way to work out their issues.

#3. A great stress management tip for kids is to teach them to tell someone when they are stressed or upset. This way, they don't keep the issue to themselves and can speak out loud about what is bothering them. Stress only gets worse if a person doesn't talk about it, and this is no different for a child or teenager.

#4. One of the best stress management tips for college students and other young adults is to take the time to write down exactly how you are feeling, irrational thoughts and all. After you get this all down on paper, you can then shred or throw away this information or you can keep it in a safe place. This way, you can get out your frustrations and can process why you are feeling a certain way.

#5. If the kid or child can not write or suffers from a learning disability, try having them draw or paint a picture. This is an alternative way to express their stress. Often, the best stress managment tips for kids is simply getting the child to figure out what it is they are upset or worried about.