I'll admit: I was on cloud nine for the first few weeks of this semester. I was feeling confident about school work, was ready to start applying for internships, and was even taking advantage of my free time to do the things I enjoy. But, as the saying so depressingly goes: All good things must come to an end. The stress of college has caught up to me, as I admittedly figured it would. I just hoped it wouldn't come flooding in as fast as it did. So now I'm writing this article in hopes of relieving some stress and giving my mind a break from the various assignments hanging over my head like dark clouds ready to rupture with thunder and rain. Ok ... dramatic ... I know.

Anyway, yesterday my theology professor, in the midst of bombarding my class with a highly intellectual lecture on contemplative life and prayer, spoke of the necessity of "finding space" to pray. Finding space, according to my professor, is not necessarily a physical act, however. He spoke of this space as an adaptation of the mind in order to escape the physical world. Something clicked for me during this class, which made me appreciate my professor's long-winded speech a little more.

For me, finding space is not solely limited to prayer. As a person consistently struggling with her spirituality, prayer does tend to be a common conception in my life, but I believe an alternate purpose of finding space is to evoke a mental state of peace in order to decompress and feel at ease, if only for a moment. I used to think I was stressed in high school, but that stress barely compares to the physical and mental strains I have encountered in college. I don't mean to act like the woe is me, but I can honestly say I've never felt the tension I too often feel at college at any other time in my life, and I'm sure the majority of my peers would agree. So, in order to combat this apprehension, I suggest finding space in your day to day routine, and soon releasing tension will become more of a habit than a necessity.

About a year ago, I took up the practice of meditation, and this became my way of finding space. A key aspect of meditation is paying attention to your breath, and so even in the most congested of places, I was still able to generate a space in my mind to relax through the simple commands of "breathe in, breathe out." Everyone has the ability to find space in their lives, even when it feels like you're never truly alone. I also like to run, because it is mindless and the perfect stress reliever. Even while running through a highly populated college campus, I can feel as though I am at one with myself and free of all my troubles. How you find your space and what you define as your space is completely up to you, and this personalization acts as an aid in the resolving of your stress.

I encourage you to find your space, whether it be at college like me, at home, or in the workplace. Everyone needs a moment of contemplation and rejuvenation, and this can sometimes feel impossible with the busyness of the day constantly diverting our attention. You'll be surprised at how good you'll feel once you spend a little time focusing on yourself, and for many people, this can take some time and practice. That isn't to say, though, that finding your own space is impossible because there is room inside all of us for peace and decompression. Don't let finding that space become an added struggle to your daily life; rather, use finding space as an incentive to avoid further struggles and a means to tackle your current ones.