Running away from school

This is your brain. This is your brain under stress: BOOM! SQUISH! That's right, now it's all over the walls and your roommate's stepping in it. Stress just plain sucks! You know what I'm talking about. Like trying to finish a paper but being short on information and feeling like you want to smash your head into the computer. That's stress. And we, as college students, are the main victims. Whoever said being a student is easy should be shot. We just have to learn to cope, and I've found that running away from your problems is the best way. Stick with me on this.\nLast week was my breaking point. I was writing a paper, and it took me 40 minutes just to think of a first sentence. I kid you not, I just sat there staring at the monitor and stabbing my notebook with my pen in frustration until I finally thought of something. The notebook couldn't be saved, but at least I had something on the screen. \nMaking things harder than they should be is just one sign of overstressing. If you're having trouble sleeping, you're angry all the time or you're getting more headaches, than you're probably overstressed, according to www.campusblues.com. But it's OK to have stress as long as you let it out of your system and not let it build up.\nI almost became a victim of stress until I found a great remedy, a good ol' American road trip. Who doesn't like road trips? Pack up your crap, grab some friends and drive in whichever direction you feel. The best way to forget about school is to leave. And I did.\nI drove up to Chicago with some friends for the weekend. The trip was long but salvaged by deep, meaningful conversations about toes and hypothetical sex questions like, "If you had to pick between blank and blank, which one would you blank?" When we finally got to Chicago, the weather was crazy. I can only describe it as booger-freezing cold -- people broke out their winter coats for it. But I didn't care because all that mattered was I wasn't in Bloomington. I made sure not to bring anything school-related except a notebook. I figured if I'm trying to forget my trouble, I should leave them behind altogether. \nBy taking a trip, you escape your normal atmosphere, making everyday things more fun. Richard Pryor talking about the way white guys walk on Comedy Central just seems a little funnier when you're with friends in a hotel room. But the best part about staying in a hotel is not having to clean up (God bless housekeeping). \nEating somewhere different is great, too. After awhile anything is better than Indiana Memorial Union or Kirkwood food. Taking a study break and going out to eat is a great stress reliever. Besides, if I study for too long without a break, I'll start forgetting what I went over anyway.\nLeaving Bloomington was the best thing I could've done to relax. I definitely recommend it to those who feel like they're about to crack. But road trips aren't the only option. Just about anything that you think is fun can be stress-relieving -- working out, hanging out with friends and laughing at the TV can all kill stress. \nI never thought about it, but stress can seriously damage you. Prolonged stress can negatively affect your brain, heart and immune system, and it can even make you go bald. So unless you like saving money on shampoo and spending it on hats, do something to relieve your stress.