Tangents and Tirades

by The Cowl Editor on October 18, 2018


Tangents


Photo of colorful leaves during fall.
Photo courtesy of National Capital Commission.

 

Treat Yourself to a Good Cry

Midterm season is upon us. With so many assignments, deadlines, and responsibilities quickly approaching, stress is inevitable.

There are lots of great ways to reduce some of the tension that you may be experiencing, such as exercising, meditating, or setting aside some time to watch an episode of your favorite T.V. show. But don’t forget the one way to de-stress that is often negatively characterized: having a good cry.

Many people are hesitant to shed tears, but there is a lot of benefit in letting yourself release your emotions.

If you do not acknowledge how you are feeling internally, you will most likely find it difficult to focus. Your mind will be overwhelmed with various thoughts and worries that may prevent you from accomplishing what you need to. Although tears won’t write your papers for you, they can help clear your head and make you more productive.

In fact, the University of Utah installed “The Cry Closet” in their library last spring so their students could have a safe space to experience the cathartic effect of crying. Students can go into this closet for 10 minutes at a time, allowing them to privately release their emotions and regroup before returning to their work.    

Even though we don’t have a designated place to cry here at Providence College, you should still consider having a good cry wherever you can when your stress level increases. Whether it be in your dorm room, the shower, or an empty classroom in Feinstein, let it out!

-Kelly Wheeler ’21

 

Appreciating Fall in New England

Now that we are in the midst of autumn, it seems as if everyone is spending their weekends going apple picking or visiting pumpkin patches with their friends.

It is hard to go on Instagram and not see someone posting about all of the chai tea they are drinking or the apple cider doughnuts they are eating during all of their relaxing, cozy fall weekends. But two crucial aspects of being fully immersed in the fall season are weather and time which, for the most part, are out of our control.

As a college student, it can be hard to find the time to take out of your weekend to go apple picking or to do any other quintessential fall activity.

When you spend most of your time in the library studying for midterms, it can be hard to really get into the fall spirit. Additionally, New England weather is known for being extremely fickle. It seems that this time of year is either unseasonably warm or cold and rainy.

By the time the weekend rolls around, burnout from the previous week, combined with unpredictable weather, can make it difficult to feel like Halloween and Thanksgiving are right around the corner.

Despite the struggle of balancing homework and socializing, along with planning activities around the unpredictable weather, fall is arguably the most beautiful season in New England and it’s important to get outside and enjoy all that the season has to offer.

It can be as easy as going for a walk or lighting a fall-scented candle (if you live off-campus, of course). Appreciate this season before it’s gone. Soon enough we will all be complaining about the snow and sub-zero temperatures.         

-Bridget Blain ’19

 

Combat Academic Burnout

In the midst of midterm stress, it’s important to find some time to free your mind of the compiling thoughts of school work. Mental health is very important to maintain, regardless of how much work you may have. It’s important to take time to yourself away from the schoolwork for even just a few minutes.

Take some time to hang out with your friends. Watch a movie. Do a face mask. Take a yoga class and learn how to focus only on meditation, even if it is only for for an hour or two. Doing puzzles and Sudoku can also keep your mind engaged.

It’s understandable to want to focus only on work for 24 hours a day, but going nonstop can make you wear out much faster than normal. Of course, it’s important to get all of your work done, and that should always be the main priority, but taking time to focus on yourself and your emotional well-being is an important factor of college as well.

Extracurriculars are another easy way to give yourself a designated break from study time. In this case, you give yourself a scheduled time to do something other than schoolwork for at least one hour every week.

Intramurals are the easiest way to do this. Grab some friends and pick a sport. This way, a team of you can combat your busy schedules by hanging out together in an activity that takes your mind off of work.

Clubs, sports, or even just Bingo night or a night in with friends can give your mind the rejuvenation it needs to  continue to succeed academically. It is so much better to give yourself time off than to find yourself burnt out from an excessive amount of work.

-Julia McCoy ’22