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Being stressed to the max can be one of the unfortunate side effects of balancing an internship with school and all of the other responsibilities college kids tend to rack up.  With a full plate, sometimes the stress can feel unbearable.  Believe me, I've been there!  Feeling anxious all of the time, getting sick often, suffering from constant headaches, and unusual weight loss can all be signs that you are experiencing too much stress.  If you experience any of those symptoms your body is trying to tell you that you're taking on too much!

Believe it or not, there are some more effective ways for managing your stress than pulling out your hair or banging your head on the wall.  The main idea is to stay calm and not let your responsibilities consume you.  YOU control your life and have the ability to enjoy it as long as you manage the stress effectively.

Here are some tips for handling stress in college:

Learn to say "no"

Although it pains me to admit it, one person is not capable of doing it all.  As much as we sometimes like to try, there are things you simply  have to say no to for the sake of your own sanity.  Whether it's an unachievable deadline or a favor for one of your student organizations, add the word "NO" to your vocabulary and stat.  As long as you are polite about turning something down, you shouldn't add to your stress by worrying about hurting people's feelings.  Hopefully, the people you are dealing with are mature adults and will understand your time constraints.  If they don't, reconsider your commitment to them in the first place.

Make your to-do list your best friend

Not only should you keep an ongoing list of everything that you need to accomplish, but you should prioritize that list.  Put important tasks that need to be done sooner at the top and tasks that aren't quite as pressing towards the bottom.  This should prevent that overwhelming feeling of looking at your to-do list and not quite knowing where to start because there is so much.  It will also keep you from jumping up in the middle of the night because you remembered one more thing that you have to get done.  I manage my to-do list on a free program called Evernote, which hosts all of my lists online and lets me access and edit them from my phone, computer, or anywhere that has Internet. A service like this is great because it prevents any confusion that could come from not having your list on hand.

Eat and sleep (seriously)

If you need a reminder to eat and sleep you have more serious problems than I can help you with; yet so many busy college kids don't get the amount of sleep they need each night or the right nutrition from their meals.  Although I am a Ramen connoisseur and have a penchant for certain junk foods, I always make sure I'm getting some protein and greens each day as well.  You don't have to be a health nut, but realize that what you eat is what fuels you for the day and all of your activities.   Always eat a good breakfast, whether you have time for a bowl of Cap'n Crunch or eggs and toast, you have to eat something.  Also, go to bed!  You are going to be exhausted and even more stressed if you aren't getting close to 8 hours of sleep each night.  If you're a night owl do your best to avoid early morning classes and vice versa.  Sleeping is not optional although sometimes it can feel like it.  Whether you need to find time for a power nap during the day or set yourself a bedtime, do what it takes to find time for this necessity.

Go outside

It sounds trivial, but getting some quality time in the sun can really help reduce stress levels.  Being outside boosts Vitamin D levels which is vital to good health and causes the release of endorphins, which are the body's natural anti-depressants; just make sure you wear sunscreen (Associated Content).  All throughout college I have opted to walk to class instead of drive, at least part of the way.  If you are a commuter don't waste your time fighting for the closest parking spot on campus in the morning.  Instead, opt for the spot that is a bit farther and walk the rest of the way to class.  Not only will you get some extra rays and a little exercise that will help wake you up and prepare you for the day, but walking can help clear your mind and give you a chance to plug into your iPod if that's what helps you relax.

Schedule some "me" time

No matter how much you have going on you absolutely must schedule time for yourself, even if this means actually blocking out a period of time in your planner (I literally have Glee and Law and Order: SVU marked on my calendar every week).  For some people, closing the door and watching a movie or an hour of TV in peace and quiet is what helps recharge their batteries, while for others going out and socializing or playing sports is what keeps them refreshed.  A brain that is always working is eventually going to get exhausted and will start being unproductive, so give it a rest every once in a while.

If all else fails make some cuts

If you get to the point where there is nothing else you can do to alleviate some of the stress, it's time to reevaluate your commitments.  Are there student organizations that you aren't really dedicated to?  Do you have to be on three different intramural sports teams?  Make a list of everything that takes up your time and take a good hard look at it to separate the important things from the other stuff that might be draining your time and energy.


Here are some helpful quizzes from Ask.com that can help you determine how stressed you are.

The Stress Reliever Personality Test

Recently, on The Good Intern there was a poll on the homepage where students voted on whether or not they would be participating in a fall internship.  The poll asked "Are you participating in a fall internship this year?" and the options were A) "Yes, definitely.  I'll intern during any season", B) "No, fall is time to focus on school", or C) "I want to, but I haven't found one yet."  When the poll first launched, option A and B were both extremely close to being the winner, but by the time the poll closed option B won with 42% of the votes.  The majority of the people who voted would not be participating in a fall internship because they want to focus on school.

The results of the poll left me thinking about what exactly is involved in a fall internship.  It's true that an internship in the fall can be more difficult than summer opportunities because of the need to balance the responsibilities of being an intern with classes, extracurricular activities, homework, and maybe even a job, but fall internships also present an entirely different set of benefits than summer internships.  To list some of the perks, for upperclassmen it may be one of the last opportunities to intern for someone who might be a potential employer, you are able to network and gain experience in a different community than maybe you would at home during the summer, plus as a fall intern you might be asked to intern for the entire school year.

Photo Credit http://bit.ly/bHJLiC

Since I am obviously a major advocate for fall internships, here are some tips to help fall interns succeed during the fall semester which might even persuade those on the fence to reconsider whether or not to seek out a fall internship.

Be clear about your schedule

Many supervisors will be flexible with your schedule as long as you are upfront about your time commitments.  The time involved in a fall internship is something that should be established during the interview so you have a realistic idea of if you will be able to do the internship without your other obligations suffering.  Before you start your internship, sit down with your supervisor and work out a schedule that works for both of you.  Draw out an estimated weekly schedule beforehand that accounts for work, classes, time for homework, meetings, and any other commitments, so you have a clear idea of when you are available.  Also, offer to do some work remotely at home or on evenings/weekends if the company will allow it.  E-mail makes it extremely easy to stay in touch with your supervisor if you are working from another location.

Run a tight ship

In order to succeed as a fall intern your need to be extremely organized.  I recommend keeping two separate planners; one strictly for school assignments, and one for your internship and other time commitments.  When your schedule is packed, things have a tendency to fall through the cracks and can lead to major dilemmas, so keep your life organized to avoid any slip-ups.  If you aren't used to using a planner it can be hard to remember to pencil things in at first, but after a while it will become automatic and make your life much easier.


Learn to multi-task

As a fall intern you will have to wear many hats such as student, intern, sorority/fraternity member, employee, etc. and need to be prepared to play numerous roles in one day.  For this reason, I recommend keeping lists of tasks you need to accomplish for each different category, listed by importance, that you can easily access at any time.  I like to keep multiple lists on my Blackberry since it's pretty much with me at all times.  That way, no matter where I'm at I can recall what I need to do without having to rely on memory alone.

Take time to breathe

It's so easy to get caught up in the stress that interning and going to school at the same time can bring.  To avoid losing your mind schedule time for yourself, whether it's spending time with friends or settling down to watch a movie alone, make sure you are still doing the things you enjoy and that allow you to lighten up a little.  College is supposed to be fun, remember?

Here's what some of The Good Intern's Twitter followers had to say:

Little ways to make money on campus. - Her Campus

Check out some of these wacky scholarships and see if you are eligible.  If not, it'll still give you a good laugh. - The Huffington Post

Jones New York has a great digital "Little Black Book" on their website full of career advice from 100+ influential women. - Jones New York

Can you guess the perfect salary for happiness? - The Wall Street Journal

What some businesses claim recent college grads lack. - The Wall Street Journal

Just to give you a quick life update, in my spare time (spare time, what's that?) I've teamed up with Her Campus, an online student magazine for college women, as a contributing writer for their career articles.  Her Campus is written entirely by student journalists from all over the U.S. and focuses on giving college girls all of the info they need to know about, well... life in general.