Stress and I have become best friends this semester. Understandably so, this transition into being a college student has not been the easiest and I am still trying to balance work, friendships, and communal living. The biggest lesson I have learned so far is that I realized that important balance in my life is necessary for my own well being. In the beginning of the semester, I was on a personal mission to find the perfect method in reducing my stress. I never thought that one of my assignments would answer this for me.
I was instructed to attend one of the free 30 Minute Drop-In Guided Meditation classes here on campus and to reflect on my experience. I did not know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised as to how I was impacted. It started off with the student who was leading the meditation asking each of us how we were feeling. That particular day, I was extremely overwhelmed with the amount of work that was piling up. I expressed my worries to the group of five, hoping that by the end of the actual meditation I would feel better.
We were then instructed to sit up, close our eyes, and slowly relax every part of the body, starting with the forehead and going down to our toes. While doing this, I started to realize how tense I was, of which I wasn’t initially aware. It felt freeing to physically sense a change in my body. The actual meditation lasted for about 10 minutes and was accompanied with the sounds of rain from the outside, which added to the ambiance. It was an extremely peaceful environment. The instructor then told us to slowly open our eyes when he rang the bell, and when I did this, I felt super grounded and relaxed, a feeling I hadn’t felt since I started college. I was hyper aware and extremely focused, which I don’t feel very often because of my naturally hyper and anxious personality. I left the session feeling better then I did entering it.
And I think that is the point of self care. Others may judge how I choose to cope with stress, but as long as it works for me, then who cares? It’s important to practice self care, whether that be meditating, watching Netflix, journaling, reading books, etc. I strongly urge anyone who hasn’t found their method yet to try this great, free resource that is easily accessible to any student. Meditation is often practiced with religions but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Although I am not using it in a religious way, I still was able to benefit from many of its aspects. Because of my willingness to go out of my comfort zone and try something new, I found an activity that provides me with the stress management and balance that I desperately need. Take care of yourself!
The 30 Minute Drop-In Guided Meditation sessions are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 pm in the Spiritual Center!