It’s not a secret that today’s students have a lot more pressure than the students of yesterday. The schedules are more rigorous, and the courses are far more advanced so it would stand to reason there is a tremendous amount of stress associated with the campus life. Studies have shown that one-third of students has some form of depression and that students are five times more likely to attempt suicide. With this statics, pupils need to do everything they can to manage the stresses of term papers, essays, and homework. Here are four simple solutions to try if you find yourself slipping into the solitude of depression:

  1. The 8-8-8 circadian rhythm is the first way to adopt balance. Eight hours work or in this case, school, research, freelance work, homework, eight hours for extracurricular or exercise and social life experiences, and eight hours’ sleep.

  2. Join a study group. This is an enormous help and combines social time with study time. A lot of other students are in the same situation; it helps to have a group around you. A bonus is a bump in your grades from the extra time you will spend with your classmates and the bonding with some new friends.

  3. Try something new that you have always wanted to do. If you have always wondered about mountain biking, try it! If you want to hone your writing skills, become a freelance writer! The world is your oyster go out and enjoy it. Trying something will give you a fresh perspective and clear your mind so you can refocus your energy.

  4. Most important, talk to someone. A parent, a teacher, a counselor, anyone. Just talk to someone who can help you if you need help. If you are more comfortable, write it down. Write a compelling dissertation and present it to a friend.

Just keep in mind you are not alone one out of every four college students suffers from some type depression at some point in their academic career and about 75% do not reach out for help. You can change the stats by changing a few simple things in your daily routine, even before you get to the point of depression. Being inundated with economics homework is not new. The pressure of dissertations and thesis statements are a very real thing but with a little time management and a good support system, you will have the balance you need to get through each term.