Seniors!
Now, that we are about to enter college and start off a new chapter in our lives, this current time for us can be really stressful. As I senior like you, right now I’m feeling overwhelmed.
With so many fun and exciting senior activities coming up, hanging out with friends before everyone leaves, and still having to do school work, AND keeping up your grades on top of all that, things can be very stressful.
I have a few suggestions that everyone, not just seniors, to do order to feel less stressed.
- Practicing mindfulness and meditation can be super helpful. Not only does this involve focusing on the present movement, but it also gives you a sense of relief and letting go. Practicing mindfulness actually helps reduce stress by calming the mind. To do this, a suggestion is to find a quiet comfortable space, sit, and ground yourself.
- Exercise! Exercise is SO important for the mind AND body to release stress. Working out releases endorphins, which are natural stress relievers. Suggestions for any type of exercises are going for walks, doing yoga, going to the gym, or even swimming. Just get the body moving!
When I feel really stressed out or overwhelmed, it’s a must for me to go on a walk. Going on a walk really does help me out and let me think about stuff without stressing out too much about anything. — Maria Castro
- Nature is perfect for soothing the mind and reducing stress. Getting to take a break from everything and being able to go out into nature and enjoying the world is perfect for the human soul and mind. Immersing oneself in nature is a for-sure must.
- Seeing the ones you love the most too can help a lot. Being able to take your mind off of stressful stuff and or even talking about what’s going on with them can be super helpful.
“I love hanging out with my friends when I feel like I need to escape all of my school work. Just being around my friends really helps me out and get my mind off of things,” said senior Mia Huidobro.
- I’ve found that doing breath work helps so much as well. Being able to close your eyes and only focus on your breathing helps reduce the stress and allows me to retain my focus.
- Unleash your inner creativity. Allowing yourself to let go and engage in something creative allows you to take off your mind from everything. Painting, writing, playing music, just anything that shows your creative side is so important, not just as a stress release, but also understanding yourself and your interests more.
“Painting is my go-to when I don’t know what to do. when I’m upset, I paint. When I’m happy, I paint. Any emotion I feel, I paint it all out,” said senior Marina Muller.
- My last suggestion is listening to music. Music has such a strong influence on our emotions and how we feel. Unwinding by playing soothing music, classical music, jazz, or any type of genre that makes you happy can melt away all of your stressors.
I really hope these recommendations and suggestions help because I know that not only myself, but my other senior friends as well have been going through lots of stress and overwhelming feelings, especially as the year is almost over.
Stress may be inevitable, but it does get better and there are many ways to overpower it. Always remember to prioritize your self-care and mental health.
