For many, meditation can be a very relaxing and calming experience. For others it could be hard to keep a clear head and really ‘let go.’
A lot of people meditate in different ways. One way is through videos on youtube, or on an app. Another way is to simply find a quiet place and tune into your inner thoughts. Freshman, Yamely Mendoza is more accustomed to meditating without any outside sources.
“Sometimes I meditate with videos but I feel like that’s not the best form of meditation for me so I just meditate in a quiet space and try to relax and think about things that make me happy and encouraging words that make me feel better,” Mendoza said.
Meditation isn’t necessarily a practice that is set in stone. There are many different ways to do it, and many different reasons for meditating. One of those reasons is relieving the stress of being a college student. Many times students can put unnecessary stress on themselves due to outside factors such as tests or projects. These things can become distracting or potentially make it much harder to relax.
Cindy Jaquez, first year student and business major, has a lot of experience with meditation and its effects. “An obstacle I encountered was trying to focus on one thing. I’m an over-thinker so it was difficult to focus, but with practice and thinking of something that made me happy helped me overcome that obstacle. I also didn’t have a good and quiet area to meditate but I’ve learned to focus with minor noise which is why I prefer using calm meditation music,” Jaquez said.
When suggested as a viable way to relieve stress, many people will say that it takes too long, or may be too time consuming to become a regular part of their lives.
“The last time I meditated was for about 10-15 minutes. I didn’t do it often so I would say about once a week is a goal of mine,” Jáquez said.
For Jáquez meditation is a way to recharge and relieve stress. It is an escape for the real world and a way to let go.
“Meditation for me is being able to let go of the heavy weight that’s on your shoulders,” Jàquez said. “It is the time to forget about everything that’s stressing me out and bringing my mood down. It is a great way for me to get away from reality and give my mind a break,” Jaquez added.
Many people like to use apps as a form of meditation. There are many different ones, so here are some recommended apps that also were ranked The Best Meditation Apps of 2021
Try them for yourself and see!
- Best Overall: Calm App
- Best for Sleep: HeadSpace
- Best Budget: Insight Timer
