With school kicking into full gear, stress is just over the horizon. Making time to take care of yourself can help you get through the pressures of school.

There should be a math equation that shows school equals stress. We pay to sit in a room, get tested and complete class after class like levels in a video game. We’re one bad grade away from failing and living an unsuccessful life, so we’re told. It’s difficult to balance school, work and a social life that isn’t just small talk between you and the Starbucks employee you order coffee from every day. Even though it’s good coffee, you still expect more out of a committed relationship than that.

We’ve all been told the famous saying, “If I can do it, then you can too.” We’re told that if we push ourselves, then everything else after college will be easy. Which could be true, but if we’re not careful, it can cause problems with our mental and physical health, now and long-term.

According to an American College Health Association survey, 40 percent of college students said they felt depressed, and 61 percent of students said they “felt overwhelming anxiety.” Time management is the first chapter in the book on stress. Only having 24 hours in a day is a speed bump on your highway to happiness.

We rush from one place to the next and cram so much into our day that sometimes, we don’t have time to even eat.

Stay organized and keep a daily schedule. It’s important to have specific times in your day for studying, work and your social life, but don’t let them spill over into each other’s time.

It’s overwhelming when everything is unbalanced. It’s also a good idea to set little goals throughout your day, so that once you complete them, you feel a sense of achievement.

According to the Pareto principle, accomplishing little goals instead of big ones in a certain time limit is more beneficial for the person. This theory is called the 80/20 rule.

They say you can’t sleep your problems away, but wouldn’t it be great if you could? The best way to manage your stress is to get a good night’s rest.

A study done in The Journals of Gerontology showed that a good night’s sleep benefits and has a positive effect on younger adults during times of high stress, which is exactly what we’re facing.

Lack of sleep takes a toll on your immune system as well, which effects your physical health. Shoot for seven to eight hours of sleep a night. I may be overwhelmed to the max, but the one thing I make sure to get is my sleep.

Cut back on your use of social media and get out more.

A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that young adults who frequently used social media felt more socially isolated.

Make time to hang out with your friends and have a good time.

Get involved in groups and attend events happening on campus. Get out and be around other students because we’re all in this together.