By George Cho || Staff Writer
Spring Semester of 2020 has been uniquely exigent, to say the least. With circumstances changing rapidly on a daily whim, students were confronted with unusual and unparalleled challenges as they did their best to complete their coursework in the midst of the pandemic. However, just like any other semester, the importance and need to decompress remains the same. Hence, here is a compiled list of activities people can engage in after a particularly tough semester:
Blast some music out loud – If you’re not in a position where you can do this, you can listen to some music through your headphones. With that said, crank up some of your favorite uplifting songs. Some personal recommendations of celebratory tunes are “My Way” by Frank Sinatra, “Congratulations” by Post Malone ft. Quavo, and “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John.
Workout – Pump some adrenaline through your head by engaging in some form of physical activity. Great workouts can be had through lifting weights, cardio, or on a jog (while maintaining social distancing). Of course, to the preference of some, yoga is a great alternative.
Write – Take a moment to write down some of the thoughts and emotions that are running through your head as you finish up the semester. Perhaps, write down what happened during your day. You can also be a bit more deep and write about what occurred this past semester, the positives and negatives of it, the lessons you learned, how much you’ve grown, or some goals you have for the future. You can write a story or a poem. You might also want to consider writing messages of appreciation to your friends, families, and professors for helping you along the way.
Read – After a long semester of reading banal textbooks, find a book to sit down and engage in the story or information that it tells.
Create art – Is there an image inside of your head that you wish to tangibly create? If so, focus your attention and energy creating said image whether it be through doodling, painting, or crafting. If you wish to implement your musical talents, try writing a song.
Cook – The dish could be as simple as banana bread or as extravagant as ratatouille. Either way, the joy of edibly indulging in something you’ve created is a pleasure that is unrivaled.
Clean your room or living space – Sometimes decluttering your physical space or environment can be strangely helpful in mentally decluttering your mind.
Spend time with friends – You can have virtual movie nights through Netflix by installing the Google Chrome extension, Netflix Party, and share the screen with your groupmates. If you want to play video games online together, use Discord servers to chat with another. Of course, just sitting down and having a chat with one another via text messaging, phone call, or FaceTime is a great way to socialize and de-stress.
Spend time alone – This may seem contradictory to the last point, but a person who is never alone will never have time to reflect and grow. Wherever you may be, isolate yourself for a small period of time and do nothing except listen to the sound of silence.
Sleep – Need I say more?
Regardless of your decompression activity of choice, take a moment to pat yourself on the back today. Spring 2020 was a challenging time for everybody to one degree and another. If you feel like your greatest achievement this semester was simply getting through the weeks, that deserves praise in and of itself.
Sophomore George Cho is a Staff Writer. His email is gcho@fandm.edu.