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The time between submitting your college applications and receiving an admissions letter in the mail can be stressful. Especially as this time is filled with unknowns: When will you hear back? Did you get into the schools you hoped you would? Where will you be going to school next year? You may find yourself constantly contemplating the fate of your application to your dream school. Even the others you don’t hold as close become means for anxiety. Nonetheless, there is no point in wasting time and energy worrying about what you could have done better. Your application is in the hands of the admissions office now, and all you can do is have confidence in yourself and enjoy activities to de-stress. 

After submitting all of my college applications, including the application to UMass Amherst, I felt a combination of relief and apprehension. While I was nervously waiting for a response from UMass, I was also getting more and more excited about the idea of spending the next four years there. During this time, I continued to research UMass and took advantage of virtual campus tours and student Q&A’s while also enjoying other activities to de-stress. 

Here are five things I recommend doing to de-stress while waiting for your admissions letter from UMass Amherst.

1. Find a hobby to take your mind off things. 
   While it is good to continue researching and exploring the colleges you applied to before you receive a letter back, it may also help to take your mind off of college entirely. Find a hobby or activity that interests you and distracts you from worrying about what you can’t change. For me, I began working out and staying active much more during this time. After the pressure of completing my college applications was over, I was inspired to go to the gym more often, take my dogs for long walks, and take workout classes with my friends. In turn, I found that this was a great hobby to de-stress.
2. Watch college videos on Youtube. 
   One of my favorite things to do after I had finished my applications was watch Youtube videos about the colleges. I particularly enjoyed ones from the perspective of the student, like day-in-the-life videos, dorm room tours, and Q&As. These videos were a great way to continue to research the schools I had applied to, while also getting me excited about being a college student.
3. Start making a dorm room wish list. 
   If you are anything like me and enjoy online shopping every now and then, a great de-stresser is to create an online dorm room supply wish list. It is a lot of fun to research what you will need and the supplies that are recommended must-haves. Then, picking out things like bedding, wall art, organization bins, a lamp, maybe a rug, and much, much, more. Also, when it comes time to actually purchase for your dorm, everything is in your shopping cart.
4. Spend time with your family and friends 
   The best way to de-stress is to surround yourself with friends and family. In a few months time, you will be attending college away from home, possibly on the other side of the country. Your loved ones will only be a call away, but it's important to spend time together and make the most of the time you have now before entering this new phase of your life.
5. Focus on finishing high school off on a great note
   These are the last few months of high school before you onto the next chapter of your life, so enjoy it. While high school does have its ups and downs, it is four formative years of growth and self-discovery that come with an abundance of memories, friendships, and experiences. Simply eating lunch with your friends in the cafeteria, walking through the same halls, and attending sports games are memories that you will reminisce about in a few years’ time. It is also important to remember that at the end of the semester you are still required to submit a final transcript, so do not neglect your academics in these final months. 

In the end, there is no need to stress. The hard work is done, and now it is time to start getting excited about the years to come as a college student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.