I have made a momentous decision. Avoiding stress is no longer a priority for me – managing stress is. Why? Because stress never goes away. When one issue is resolved, two more pop up to replace it.

I always thought school was the root of all the stress in my world, but last summer I spent a whole month doing absolutely nothing – and somehow stress still followed me like a pesky fly.

Irritating as stress may be, we all have it. If we’re not stressed about the term paper worth half our grade, we’re stressed about how we are going to pay this month’s rent.

According to the American Institute of Stress, stress is the No. 1 health problem in America. Stress leads us to many other health problems as well. Take obesity, for example. Something in our head tells us that if we eat the ice cream sitting in our fridge, the stress will go away. Or perhaps depression. Maybe sleeping all day will make the problem go away.

But the funny thing about problems is that they just don’t go away. It reminds me of my younger brother, who was attached to my hip for the better part of our childhood. I would fight with him and kick him out of my room, but he always managed to come back in. So I was stuck and simply had deal with him. Problems are like that; you fight with them and try to forget them. Nevertheless, you always are reminded of their existence. Dealing with them is the quickest way to make them disappear.

Stress causes procrastination. I have spent many an all-nighter finishing a paper or studying for an exam and then barely functioning the next day. The reason? The issue is avoided because of stress, but avoiding an issue can lead only to procrastination. After realizing the issue cannot be avoided, running around like a mad person to get something accomplished ensues.

Crazy times we live in – time seems to be flying away from us. This may explain all the stress we encounter. But what’s the solution?

I propose that instead of avoiding stress – which has proven to be an impossible task – we manage stress. Let’s manage our time wisely and set our priorities straight as we’ve always been told. We also need to learn how to say “no”. When a friend calls on a Monday evening and tells you that your group of friends is going to meet for coffee, think about it for a second before instinctively saying “yes” and rushing out the door. Wouldn’t studying for that test or finishing up that paper do a lot more for our mental health than going out with friends?

Also, ask for help when necessary. When you can’t make your rent payment, call your parents. If you took out loans for that purpose but quickly discovered you spent the money before paying your rent, pay your rent in lump sums.

Stress may be man’s worst enemy. Health problems such as heart disease, stroke and eating disorders are just a few of the consequences, according to the American Institute of Stress.

So do your body and your mind a favor. Conquering stress will help you lead a healthier, more productive life.

Columns reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.