Smoking does not help nor does the excessive use of alcohol or caffeine. Aerobic exercise that increases the heart rate over a period of time such as jogging, walking, swimming and biking are excellent sources of stress management. A minimum of a half hour, four days a week is a good rule of thumb. Help drain off tensions and stresses that have been building up. However, there are other forms of relaxation that may help manage stress much better.
Meditation is an excellent means of relaxation.
So are such things as self-hypnosis, deep muscle relaxation exercises and just fantasizing pleasant situations. In a university environment, good time management is important. We can become over committed, not allowing reasonable time for both work and play. It helps a great deal if we learn to live on a schedule. This allows us to manage our time in a way that reduces stress.