Ariana Rodriguez/Staff Writer
As students, we tend to put all of our energy into finishing the next assignment, sometimes at the cost of keeping our mental health in check. As of late, myself and everyone I know feels like college does not give us enough time to breathe anymore.
The other day, I was so sleep deprived I didn’t trust myself enough to dodge maniacs in Miami traffic on my way to class. I didn’t go to class because of that, and I really regret it.
Let’s face it—people of all ages are being diagnosed with anxiety and depression, but it mostly affects college students. It affects all the students who finish a paper at 6 a.m. because they care about maintaining their GPA.
You shouldn’t let that faze or frighten you, but empower you to do something about it. Listen to your body first. Find time for yourself. Do something that takes you out of your everyday routine and sets you free. In other words, be human.
Disconnecting from stress while connecting to yourself is key. A new tea blend or new comic book can do the trick, so always experiment with what’s best for you. Being in the present helps me improve my mental state, which needs to be sharp in the professional world, and it can help yours as well.
Places like Special Tea, Night Owl Cookies, Top Golf, FIU’s nature trail and the Frost Art Museum at FIU offer a quick mental detox after class. If you’re from Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale, you can try new tea blends, smell essential oils and new food at Yellow Green Farmers Market; I feel usually feel new after leaving there. “Fun” places like the Discovery of Science Museum, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Tate’s Comic Book Store, Urban Brew Cafe and Tenth Level Tavern also unplug me from everyday routine while my rekindling creativity.
As we get deeper into the semester and the coursework gets more challenging, it might feel impossible to do any of the things I mentioned. But we have to find a way to block the stress that’s trying to make its way in. We need to find things that make us feel more human, not more stressed.
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The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
Featured photo from FIU Flickr.
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