Unwinding is something we all do differently, and those with a busy schedule will agree that time off is something golden and to be cherished. ISCI’s all about making connections in science, so I connected my knowledge of well studied psychological benefits and applied it to…. slacking. Just kidding – but you can use knowledge to cognitively re-frame (or think of) taking time off as being productive, which it is! Yes, “you do you”! What did you do over the weekend? Stress release! And so... Short bursts of stress = healthy. Prolonged stress = detrimental Bottom line: use preventative measures on stress, like (1) being prepared for challenges and (2) feeling socially connected, and remember to break up prolonged stressful times with (3) exercise and (4) relaxation. PREPARATION (1): SCI Team’s ‘Get Into Volunteering' Event Volunteering can be doubly beneficial; a feel-good event for both the receiving individual(s) and for the volunteer. Furthermore, I want to become a physiotherapist, and like many other programs, it requires involvement in the community. This event last week featured multiple booths offering volunteering opportunities, some of which that include “Right to Play” and “Learning Buddies Network”. In addition, they also had a guest speaker give advice on what to do to get involved. Events like this might not seem like direct stress relief, but feeling prepared to meet future goals (applications, being well-studied for finals, etc, can definitely minimize stress). SCI Team hosts numerous events throughout the year, so to get involved/attend events check out: SOCIAL ASPECT (2) + EXERCISE (3): (Not to be confused with avoidance coping, for all of you out there in psychology) The Calendar’s “Digital Zoo” Dance Party If I had one word for my music taste, it would be eclectic. My iPod is the jack-of-all-trades, good for a bit of everything. So the insistent techno/electronic beats were a bit redundant for me, but it did mesh with the “digital” theme. However, I loved seeing so many fellow students I knew, and it was definitely a way to connect, celebrate and let out some energy. But how do I know about these events? UBC Calendar of course! Check them out if you want to "shake it off, shake it off". EXERCISE (3) + RELAXATION (4): Hot Yoga Time to get a little (a lot) sweaty. In the Vancouver, the city that brought you lululemon, you’ll find yoga studios are almost as easy to spot as sushi vendors. Recently, I’ve tried one nearby UBC in Wesbook village, called ‘Hot Box Yoga’. They’re newly started and offering a promotion; like them on Facebook and they’ll give you a free session, so of course I had to go stretch it out. The session I attended was called ‘Detox’, run by Alyx Kottmeier. Armed with towel, mat, and gigantic water bottle, my first thought was ‘unusual’ – mirrorless, upbeat music infused studio. Turns out, unusual was the definitely the theme; the instructor balanced maintained poses with quick transitions, creating a session that had an interval-training feel. We balanced in poses that should be reserved for figure skaters... I felt like Julia Lipnitskaya, I felt like I deserved a medal after surviving that one! (kidding, don't worry, what we did was fun.) Alyx instructed us to help hold our neighbour’s leg in the air while doing this pose: I came precariously close to tumbling everyone (domino effect!) while my friend struggled not to be grin at my less-than-stellar bending skills) but even with that said, I enjoyed my sweat session and left feeling spectacularly refreshed. In summary: never feel guilty about finding time for yourself. For whatever amidst work or school aspirations you’re putting copious amounts of time and dedication into, remember that a touch of time off will keep you laughing.
On that rather cheesy note, good luck with your finals, you can ace ‘em!
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January 2022
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