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You have two papers due at the end of the week, you're seriously behind on your poli' sci' reading, and you have no idea how you'll be ready for a test on "Richard III" by Monday.

What you need is a vacation from your  

College Stress

 . While you can't really pick up and run off to a tropical island somewhere, the truth is, you do need some kind of break. In fact, "learning is improved by taking breaks," according to Dr. Marita Barkis, a psychologist and director of the Counseling Health Services at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO. Stress, although inevitable in college life, can be controlled. Studies have shown, Barkis says, that even short intervals of down time can facilitate a reduction in stress.

Hawaii's probably out of the question, so why not instead try one of these one-hour-or-less "vacations" to help relieve mind-boggling stress...

1. Call someone non-judgmental and supportive -- your grandfather, your little sister, a friend.

2. Play with toys -- a yo-yo, bubbles, silly putty, a remote-controlled car, a slinky, etc. These are guaranteed to help you relax instantly, and don't be surprised when it attracts a line of people begging for a turn.

3. Immerse yourself in art. Visit the campus museum or art department. Take in whatever's on display, non-intellectually. Just think about the colors, the textures, how the paintings make you feel, etc.

4. Stroll around campus as if you were an alien. Really look at the style of the buildings, the grounds, the cars, the people, the signs, etc.

5. Find a dog to adopt for an hour. Walk it, pat it, brush it, talk to it. If you don't know any dogs, humane societies often welcome volunteers to exercise their animals.

6. Organize a scavenger hunt with a half-hour time limit. Give lists of tricky-to-locate items (a green pencil, an empty pretzel bag, a calendar for last month, etc.) to two teams. A possible prize: The winning team does the losing team's laundry.

7. Play "Don't mention it!" Ask a few friends to bring 10 dimes and join you for a soda and some non-school-related conversation. Anyone making a school-related comment puts one dime in the pot. When the hour's up, whomever has the most dimes left gets the pot.

8. Buy a couple of huge packages of licorice whips, take a walk around campus, and randomly hand them out.

9. Write something totally non-school related - a letter to a friend, a poem, the start of a horror story, etc.

10. Cook something: Whip up some comfort food like mashed potatoes or chocolate pudding. If you don't have access to a kitchen, go online and find a recipe for no-bake cookies.

11. Make a playlist of "feel good" cuts from your favorite CDs. Listen to it only for a mini-vacation..

12. Browse through a retro clothes shop. Try on polyester sports coats, loud ties, net prom dresses, and bell-bottom pants.

13. Do a crossword puzzle. Get the satisfaction of filling in all those little squares even if you have to use an online thesaurus, a dictionary, and your roommate.

14. Eat your lunch near the playground of a campus daycare center and watch little kids running, shrieking, and having fun.

15. Go on an impromptu picnic. Grab your blanket, some snacks from the vending machine, a Frisbee, and a friend. Too cold outside? Trade the Frisbee for a deck of cards and head for the floor in the dorm lobby.

16. Head for the music building and slip in during a rehearsal for an upcoming concert.

17. Paint something: a wall, a chair, your shoes, etc.

18. Dream up crazy lyrics for a familiar song. Print out copies and force people into the "choir." Perform an impromptu concert. For example, to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," sing: "Economics is the best! We can't wait to take our test..."

19. Find the highest point on campus. Climb the hill and reflect.

20. And, if you really want that vacation in Hawaii, just do it virtually. Spend an hour online locating a flight, a luxurious hotel (you'll be able to see right into the lobby and your room), an incredibly pricey restaurant, and dream away.

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