As a freshman at MSU, I vividly recall looking at my laptop at two in the morning during my first finals week, surrounded by half-finished work and empty coffee cups. I was drowning, and it wasn’t just typical college stress.
I had big goals and color-coded calendars when I first entered college, but the speed at which it could all fall apart caught me off guard. I felt like I was losing control as I juggled my classes, social life and ever-higher academic requirements.
At that overwhelming moment during finals week, I discovered an unexpected anchor: Stoic philosophical teachings. These ancient writings about resilience and focusing only on what’s within my control became my philosophical compass. As Epictetus wrote in Ancient Greek (“τὰ ἐφ’ ἡμῖν καὶ τὰ οὐκ ἐφ’ ἡμῖν”), “Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.” This simple yet profound idea transformed my perspective — I couldn’t control my professors’ expectations or the difficulty of exams, but I could control my response to them, my study habits and how I structured my limited time. No, I didn’t suddenly become devout. My experience with organized religion before had been restricted to the occasional family trip to a temple. Ancient knowledge, however, began to make a lot of sense.
“Regardless of their prior religious background, people often seek structure through spiritual practices when they face overwhelming situations,” said Dr. Sarah Chen, a researcher who focuses on spirituality and mental health at McLean Hospital. “It’s like finding an anchor in stormy waters,” she continued. Her words resonated deeply with my own journey. When my first semester spun out of control, spiritual practices became exactly that anchor for me.
I began modestly, reading philosophical materials or engaging in meditation for 10 minutes every morning. Unexpectedly, these moments turned into my haven. While I still valued campus events and study group gatherings that filled my social media feeds, I found myself increasingly drawn to YouTube channels that talked about mindfulness exercises and ancient knowledge. The Daily Stoic, hosted by Ryan Holiday, who explores ancient Stoic philosophy through practical modern applications, became my go-to resource for building resilience. I also discovered Mel Robbins, whose straightforward approach to mental health and her famous “5 Second Rule” helped me overcome procrastination and anxiety.
As I integrated these practices into my routine, I noticed subtle but powerful changes. The Stoic principle of focusing only on what I could control transformed how I approached my overwhelming course load. Instead of panicking about final grades, I directed my energy toward daily study habits. When my Organic Chemistry professor announced a surprise quiz, rather than spiraling into anxiety, I found myself applying the Stoic concept of “amor fati” (love of fate), accepting the challenge as an opportunity to test my knowledge.
Mel Robbins’ “5-Second Rule” became my secret weapon against procrastination. Whenever I felt the urge to delay working on my research paper for another day, I would count down “5-4-3-2-1” and physically get up to start working. This simple technique bypassed my brain’s tendency to overthink and helped me build momentum on difficult tasks. I still remember the satisfaction of completing an eight-page analysis three days before the deadline, something that would have seemed impossible during my freshman year.
What surprised me most was how these practices improved my relationships. By implementing mindful listening techniques I found on meditation channels, I became more present during conversations with roommates and classmates. Instead of mentally preparing my next point while someone was speaking, I practiced truly hearing them. This not only deepened my friendships but also enhanced my participation in class discussions, where I found myself making more thoughtful contributions rather than just speaking to earn participation points.
I’m not traveling this path alone. According to a recent poll by the Eurasian Research Institute, 64% of college students said that spiritual practices help them feel more focused and grounded during stressful situations.
In contrast to traditional religious participation, the growing interest in spiritual practices among college students presents a fascinating countertrend to broader American religious patterns. Only 68% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 say they believe in God, according to Gallup’s 2022 polls, marking the lowest level of belief among this age group in decades and significantly below the national average of 81%. This decline is part of a broader trend where approximately 29% of Americans now identify as religious “nones” — those who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” when asked about religious identity.
Logan Bry’s 2022 article “Religious Decline In The U.S.” further emphasized how younger Americans are rapidly turning away from established religious organizations, noting that this shift represents one of the most significant changes in American religious landscape in generations. My own experience, however, indicates that many young people aren’t rejecting spirituality entirely but rather discovering the benefits of spiritual practices and age-old wisdom without necessarily following organized religion. This suggests an emerging pattern where young Americans may be creating personalized spiritual frameworks that provide structure and meaning while existing outside traditional religious institutions.
“The structure offered by spiritual practices can be particularly beneficial for students navigating college life,” says Marcus Rodriguez, an MSU counselor. “It’s not about converting to a religion — it’s about finding tools to navigate life’s challenges.” These tools have changed the game for me. During those long study sessions in the Main Library, the Buddhist idea of mindfulness keep me concentrated. When I’m anxious about important choices, ancient Stoic practices help me gain perspective. Even basic yoga breathing techniques help me stay balanced during midterms and finals.
I think of it as creating your own personal operating system. Just as your phone needs regular updates to run smoothly, maybe our minds need something similar — a way to process all the chaos that comes with college life.
Reflecting on my evolution from a frazzled freshman to a more grounded junior, I’ve come to realize that effective structure doesn’t depend on meticulously planned schedules or exhaustive to-do lists. My approach shifted as I discovered value in short meditation breaks and philosophical readings that provided perspective during high-stress periods. What worked wasn’t more rigorous planning but finding moments of clarity that improved my focus during study sessions and exams. It occasionally entails turning to traditional knowledge for contemporary answers. These ancient practices offered practical tools for managing modern academic pressures — techniques that have proven more sustainable than my initial frantic attempts to control every aspect of college life through sheer force of will.
And hey, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by college life, know that it’s okay to seek wisdom from unexpected places. After all, sometimes the oldest solutions work best for our newest problems.
Nandan Bhat is a junior at Michigan State University. When not diving into ancient texts, you can find him trying to maintain his Zen during finals week.