(Photo: Mindfulness/Contribured/Pixabay)

College, for most people, is full of fun events. From the day you step on campus as a freshman to the day you walk the stage as a senior, it seems like there’s always something fun to do.

But, there’s also homework to do, and you should probably call your mom– if there’s one phrase I could use to describe college, it would be non-stop. And unfortunately, time management skills can’t fix everything. That’s where mindfulness comes in. But before we talk about mindfulness and what it is, let’s talk about some statistics.

According to the Healthy Minds Survey, a national survey of undergraduate and graduate student mental health and other related issues, 36% of students surveyed reported having any anxiety, 19% reported having moderate anxiety, and 17% reported having severe anxiety. While those numbers may seem small, it’s important to remember those statistics come from a national survey–anxiety is a much more common struggle than you’d think. So, college students are anxious, and anxiety, when mixed with stress, can lead to burnout, and that’s not good, so that’s where mindfulness comes in.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), mindfulness is defined as “Awareness of one’s internal states and surroundings.” But what does that mean? Simply put, mindfulness is realizing how you feel and where you are. So, we’ve defined mindfulness, how in the world do you practice it? One of the most common ways to practice mindfulness is gratitude. Whether you have a gratitude journal or not, being grateful to experience the life you’re living, even when it gets hard, can make a big difference. What if you’re anxious, and being grateful for a 1,200 word paper due at midnight isn’t helping?

Let me introduce you to grounding and box breathing. Grounding, as weird as it sounds, is actually pretty simple, and you don’t need any fancy equipment to do it. The most common grounding technique is the “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” exercise: no matter where you are, you can identify five things you can see, four you can touch, two you can smell, and one you can taste. You could switch around the order, but the main reason this exercise is so helpful is it shifts your brain away from whatever it is you’re worried about, to your body, and how it interacts with the environment that’s around you right now. Now, let’s talk about box breathing. There are dozens of breathing exercises out there to reduce anxiety, but box breathing is a popular one. Breath in, while counting to four; then, hold your breath for four seconds, and exhale slowly for four seconds. Notice a pattern? Both of these exercises, and the dozens more online can help you ground yourself in the present moment.

Taking time for yourself can also help if you’ve spent a lot of time being social. Activities like yoga and meditation also can make a big difference. There’s always the Campus Counseling Center and Bucs Press 2 if you need that extra help. Remember, anxiety isn’t permanent, it’ll pass. If you need some help, give mindfulness a try.

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