Being a first-time freshman I do not know exactly what to expect in the coming weeks. But I do know for certain that whether it is your personal life or your school life, you will experience stress- regardless of age. Classes start this week and this is an important message for all students to note.

Students and young adults tend to be uncertain of what is to come. We often cannot deal with this stress and cannot find the time to seek help. However, there is an easy way to help yourself. Become more mindful. Mindfulness is a therapy that is known to be the cheapest and easiest way to overcome stressors, which get in the way of our day-to-day lives. The Department of Health and National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommend mindfulness as a skill to help reduce stress levels. The premise of mindfulness is very basic. When you are looking at a tree, simply look at the tree. The most important part of learning to be mindful is being present in the moment you are living. Do not let any previous judgments or doubts affect the way you are living right now. While entering a new class you have been worried about, don’t think about how bad you were at math in high school. Instead, let the moment carry you with no previous judgments to get in the way of you experiencing that moment.

Mindfulness can be applied in many ways,

Something I am sure everyone has noticed is that the beauty of greenery in our lives is often overlooked. We’ve become so consumed in our agendas and our technology that it becomes a pastime to appreciate the beauty of nature. Instead of peering into the lives of others and sharing the latte you just got, peer into the garden you walk by everyday and share it with someone you love. The beauty of nature can change you. You just need to open up to being more mindful of its existence. It doesn’t move or make noises. It simply grows, lives and dies. Learning to admire nature is the easiest way to become more mindful. When you are walking to class, appreciate the nature that surrounds you.

Another great way to practice mindfulness is coloring,

Coloring has been all the rage recently so it is very easy to find a coloring book you will enjoy! (There are adult versions of Harry Potter coloring pages, secret gardens, enchanted forests, and anything else you could dream of.) The trick to successful coloring is this; simply color and let your mind revert to its childlike imagination. When I feel stressed or overwhelmed, I color for about 5 minutes to compose myself before finishing a hard task. It allows me to escape into the page without thinking about anything else but the page.

Mindfulness can also be applied through meditation,

The simplest mediation you can do is the “standing starfish”. I found this one in The Little Book of Mindfulness by Dr Patrizia Collard. Stand in mountain pose (this is just standing tall and straight in fancy yoga terms) and spread your arms out to your side with your palms facing down. Your feet should be a little more than shoulder width apart. Relax your shoulders and begin breathing big steady breaths to help balance your body. Your task is to be mindful of your breathing. Continue this for 5 minutes or as long as you need to relieve some of your stress.

Stress can be hard to deal with but with the right tools you are sure to overcome it. Mindfulness does not work for everybody. In this busy and hectic time I hope you find what works best for you!