How to manage stress while applying to university

Applying to university feels like a marathon. Deadlines, essays, transcripts, it definitely does get messy. But stress doesn’t help; planning, self‑care and perspective does and are key during this chaotic time.

Quotes from other students:

1. "You are not alone"

Students who’ve been through the process recommend leaning on your community for instance friends, mentors, older students. As one former applicant puts it:

2. “Take advantage of the community around you! … When I get overwhelmed with a task, I like to call a friend, go for a walk, or do some yoga. After taking a break, you can come back with a clearer head.” UBC Admissions

   
   

It’s easy to obsess over what schools want, acceptance odds, or when decisions come out. But most of that is outside your control. Focus your energy on what you can manage: deadlines, your essays, your mindset. As one student said:

• Do what you can control — and forget the rest.

• It also helped me to stay focused on what I could control, like submitting a strong application and staying organized with deadlines.” UBC Admissions

  
  

When waiting, remember that once you hit “submit,” it’s out of your hands and therefore should be out of your head. As another student advised:

“Once your application is submitted, it is out of your hands… take advantage of your senior year before university!” UBC Admissions

Actions that help:

Plan & schedule: Map out deadlines, to‑dos (essays, references, transcripts, forms) , chunk them into manageable bits. Overwhelmed students say this reduces panic and confusion. For me, I like keeping everything on an online to-do list. I use Microsoft To Do and keep a calendar in my room to keep everything under control .

Take care of yourself: Sleep, eat decently, move your body, get fresh air. Stress and mental‑health experts emphasize self‑care as a must. Some of our other articles such as the recipe book, or journaling may help with this.

Take breaks and recharge: When you get tired or overwhelmed, it’s okay to step away. Giving your brain a break helps you come back stronger and more motivated.

Keep perspective: Remember, school admissions don’t define your worth and so many paths can lead to the same destination. If one school doesn’t work out, it doesn’t mean failure. Remember, “Colleges reject applications, not people.” (Collegewise)