Mia Petrucelli/Contributing Writer
Throughout my college career, there have been many moments where I’ve felt like my brain is moving faster than me. Endless nights with millions of tasks on my to-do list, but the weight of my brain ties me to my bed and I am beaten before I have even started. My mental health started to plummet when my mental list kept compiling and my energy ran lower and lower—until I began to practice meditation.
A common factor that we do not consider as students is that our negative emotions, stresses and physical discomfort can be combated with small practices of mindfulness. We as students go through many trials of our concentration, emotions and overall mental wellbeing.
Meditation allows for an adopted practice of self-discipline that is personally inflicted instead of the usually assigned disciplines such as papers, quizzes and homework. By practicing meditation, you elevate your feelings of self-accomplishment and lower your feelings of burnout, stress and social anxiety. Even though I knew I could not get through my mental to do list in one day, the accomplishment of doing something good for myself (and my brain), was extremely rewarding.
When one thinks of meditation, it is a common assumption that meditation is silence; a blank mind and a completely still body. But that is not the case. Meditation has several different forms of practice one can adopt to explore the outskirts of mindfulness. These practices include breathing exercises, guided meditation and mantra meditation.
Guided meditation is the perfect introductory practice in achieving Mindfulness, as it allows you to be directed through your meditation practice with video or audio from an instructor. This was my favorite form of practice when I first started — it captivates you and teaches you how to let go of your inner judgements towards yourself.
Mantra meditation is another beneficial practice in getting accustomed to mindfulness meditation. This practice is known to be a bit more advanced than guided meditation for a few reasons. Primarily, it challenges the individual to have a very disciplined mind, one that contains a single thought or phrase that is repeated within the mind or out-loud.
Additionally, breathing patterns are suggested by teachers to calm the body and decrease tension. Studies show that meditation is beneficial in battling Insomnia or irregular sleep patterns by allowing the individual to reach comfort faster: something we all need.
Practicing meditation daily can be perceived as an additional chore to a student’s already busy life. But putting aside the time necessary can help in every aspect of life, whether it be academic, social or mental. Studies have also shown that meditation increases focus and concentration which in turn helps develop greater efficiency in school work. Socially, meditation is known to decrease anxieties that are provoked in social situations; events that we come across often throughout our college years. Mentally, meditation allows for a boost in confidence through increased self-appreciation and accomplishment while also showing an increase in empathy for others.
Meditation has allowed me to change how I perceive myself and the world around me. Every day comes with little battles that I can overcome and be proud of. Although I don’t always overcome every single one, I am still making progress. My practice has allowed me to be nice to myself and recognize the small gestures of positivity I put out to the world, whether it be mental or physical. ‘
The challenge of being a student should not be how many responsibilities we can juggle without dropping them, but actually, how efficient are you able to be when you are one with your mind.
DISCLAIMER:
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.
Photo by Simon Rae on Unsplash.
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