Manage Your Stress

As the end of the semester and finals are approaching, you may find yourself feeling a bit more stressed. Stress is the body's physical and psychological reaction to a situation or any change that requires an adjustment or response. Everyone experiences stress – it’s a pretty common thing! You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and even your thoughts.

Once you recognize your stress, it’s important to find ways to effectively manage it. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Eat a healthy diet: eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, try to avoid processed or sugary foods, and stay hydrated.
• Exercise: even 10 minutes per day is helpful!
• Connect socially: participate in hobbies, intramural sports, or clubs, visit a coffee shop or bookstore, or spend time with friends.
• Take breaks: take small breaks throughout your assignments, take a day off of work for self-care, or just schedule some time to relax.
• Spend time in nature: take a walk or hike, study outside, or open the windows for some fresh air.

Not all stress is bad. It’s important to Name it. Recognize it. Manage it.

Each week, we are sharing a financial wellness tip to help you make the connection between financial management decisions, your overall wellness, and student success. Money touches every aspect of our lives, and a lack of financial literacy can cause unnecessary stress and negatively impact our mental and physical health.

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Services

Have you heard of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services? With these services, consumers can purchase products like mattresses, jewelry, electronics, etc., at 0% interest. This allows you to buy a product you need now, and make affordable payments over a short period of time.

Overall, about 40% of Americans have used BNPL services. If you choose to use BNPL services, make sure you are able to make the scheduled payments. Not complying with the payment schedule can significantly damage your credit score, as missed payments are reported to the credit bureaus which will impact your ability to borrow in the future. 42% of BNPL users have missed at least one payment, and 70% of users admit they have overspent because of the ease of BNPL programs.

BNPL services can be beneficial by allowing young consumers to build up their credit scores if used correctly, but it is important that you analyze if the payments will fit into your budget.

Don’t forget to check out the Financial Literacy website, and/or follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

For additional events and event information, go to rit.edu/events.