As residents here at Pace, we often end up with more free time than we can handle. Things can begin to feel stagnant on campus, especially during that weird five hour gap you have in between classes. I thought I would use some of my free time now to review a few ways to keep yourself, body and spirit, active when you have downtime!
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
This might sound obvious, but as the semester rolls by and your notebooks get messier, you soon realize you’ve been slacking on yourself. In your free time, do something fulfilling. Do a facemask, watch an episode of your favorite TV show, or even take that nap you’ve been debating. You cannot perform well as a student if you don’t feel your best as a person!
GO FOR A WALK
This is corny, yes, but we have a beautiful campus that deserves your appreciation! You can stroll by our infamous Choate Pond, or stop by the Nature Center and say hello to one of our sheep! Who knows, you might even discover your new favorite spot on campus. Getting some light exercise and some fresh air never hurts!
SPEND TIME WITH FRIENDS
Now, this gets harder during the week, with conflicting schedules and all, but organizing a study time with your friends is always the perfect merger for academic and social needs. You can be productive together while still making it fun! Even just lounging around together can be a helpful mechanism in destressing as well, giving you the time to goof off and interact with people who make you happy!
READ A BOOK, WRITE THAT POEM!
You never want to lose touch with yourself as your plate grows fuller. Keep your mind on track with a good book, either of your own or from our very own Mortola Library (Hopefully, you haven’t lost your library cards!) Writing down your thoughts or maintaining a creative process for even just five minutes can help you clear your head and feel more level-headed after.
GRAB A MEAL
It’s pretty hard to function as a human when you’re hungry! I know campus food isn’t the most desireable, but you can always ride into town and dine at any of the numerous options that reside in our town! Some of them even accept the payment of Flex Dollars, which is connected to your student ID. Round up some friends and eat up!
EXERCISE
Though tedious, sweaty, and an overall hassle sometimes, exercise is, more often than not, incredibly beneficial to yourself and all aspects of your health. On campus you have access to both the gym, and the few nature trails that accommodate hiking. Make a playlist of your favorite hype songs, buy some really cute running shoes, and get moving! You can work out for even as short as 30 minutes and still sense an impact on yourself and your mood.
GET INVOLVED
There is a plethora of clubs and organizations that thrive here on campus! I encourage you to go out to meetings and events that suit your interests. Who knows, you may even click with a club enough to dedicate the rest of your time here. From culinary arts to dance, students are always finding ways to incorporate their desired interests and activities into campus life.
VOLUNTEER
There’s always the opportunity to take your free time and turn it into a benefit for others! The Center for Community Action and Research is constantly offering and promoting volunteer opportunities that assist both the Pace community, and our surrounding Westchester communities. Dedicating a sliver of your time volunteering, whether it’s planting trees or signing people up to vote, can make you feel selfless and confident in your actions.
I hope you find something for you in these propositions, and grant them the chance to assist you in your academic endeavors at school. One cannot perform well as a student without feeling well themselves, so I urge you to always take care of yourself, manage your time to avoid stress, and use the remainder to engage yourself in something that brings you joy.