Whoever said being a second semester senior was easy was WRONG. At least until the AP tests are over, I am still stuck with the same daunting workload as 1st semester. And even though colleges don’t look at my grades, I still have to keep grades up to avoid finals. And when I pile Showtime atop my mountainous to-do list, I just want to scream.

But instead of distressing, I need to de-stress. If I stay in this cranky mood, I’ll never have the energy to finish everything I need to get done.  So I need a plan to turn this day (month?) around.

No matter how much homework I have tonight, I plan to do one of these five pick-me-ups:

1) Work out: Gotta love those endorphins. It’s always hard to get myself on the treadmill, but once I’m there, I almost always enjoy it. A 30-minute workout is great right when I get home from school because it’s really hard to go straight from school to homework.
2) Drink a smoothie: Yum. I usually throw about 4 frozen mango chunks, 10 frozen strawberries, 1/4 cup of OJ and half a cup of milk in the blender, and then I add more of each ingredient to taste. It’s refreshing and healthy, and the Vitamin-C boosts my immune system.
3) Watch reality TV: I’ll admit I have a bit of an obsession. Between The Bachelor, American Idol, Launch My Line and all the awesome Food Network competitions, I’m set pretty much every day of the week. It’s a nice escape– it’s real drama you get to watch but don’t have to deal with.
4) Wear a favorite item of clothing: I really like my new purple high tops from Ryz.com (my aunt’s company!) , and with black skinny jeans and a cool shirt, it could definitely boost my mood.
5) Rock out to ridiculous music: ‘90s boy bands usually do the trick. I also jam to Miley Cyrus’ Party in the USA, but don’t tell anyone!

What do you do to relax when you’re stressed?  Please leave a comment below!