Finals are quickly approaching and as the stress begins to set in it is important to remember how to handle stress. In order to do well on your final exams and projects, it is important to de-stress properly.
The penny wine sale is a popular source of stress relief as well as movies, Netflix, reading and socializing. While these methods could be successful in their own way, meditation is an extremely underrated outlet for stress relief for students.
Many stigmas have surrounded meditation, making it a less popular choice than wine. Meditation though can be an extremely successful way to calm down before finals week. This opportunity can be a time to stop talking, take deep breaths and calm down.
On Nov. 2, 2017 Kevin Rose released a smart phone app called Oak that could help students do just that.
This app allows its users to practice breathing exercises and history of meditation through guided sessions. I have always been interested in meditation as a method to calm my anxiety. Naturally, when Jimmy Fallon announced that he’s “into this meditation app and it’s free” I went to the app store and downloaded it immediately.
After using the app for approximately a month, I have gained a new sense of consciousness and mindfulness. The breathing exercises instantly calm you down and a quick 10 to 20-minute meditation session before bed will help put your mind to rest.
“I’ve been using this app for about two weeks now and have already seen positive results,” Katherine Bulygo, a senior studying health communication, said. “I always have high anxiety before tests or projects are due and it keeps me up all night, but the guided meditation sessions have helped me to ground my anxieties and my mind and enabled me to balance the stress in a way that is healthy.”
There are many kinds of meditation, both practices that quiet and calm your mind as well as practices that open your mind.
“Every time I’ve attempted meditation as a way to relax, my mind just ends up wandering more and then I stress out more,” Maddie Heckathorn, a senior studying psychology, said. “I know that my major raves about meditation and deep breathing and centering your mind, but it’s not for everyone.” Maddie went on by discussing how it takes a while to train your mind and maintain the ability to stay still and calm for extended periods of time.
“If it works though, it is an amazing way to de-stress and focus on what is important. Finals cause a lot of stress and that results in procrastination, disorganization and drinking. But meditation can potentially help to fix that.”
The Oak app has guided meditation for beginners and deep breathing exercises to help calm your mind. Meditation may not be for everyone and you might still want to waltz into Happy Harry’s penny wine sale afterward, but testing your mind won’t hurt anything.