"Oooomm"...Step Away From the Caffeine

With midterms in full swing, pretty much everyone is stressing out over the pile of work that just keeps growing. I wonder if anyone even takes a minute to take a deep breathe and let themselves relax. Tim Horton's is even busier than normal (I know, I didn't think it was possible either) because people have convinced themselves they can't focus without that jitter inducing caffeine skipping through their veins.

I have one suggestion. Meditate.

Now, doesn't she look relaxed? Wouldn't you rather do that for a few minutes than stand in line with the other frazzled students at Tim Horton's?

I truly believe the energy of other people affects the way you feel. If you are surrounded by people who reek of stress, you are only going to feel worse. Not everyone is good at handling the stress brought on by school and every other thing they have going on in their life. Sometimes you feel worse just from spending time with certain people. These people are referred to as "energy vampires", not only will they emanate negativity, but they will suck all the positive out of you in the process.

I know I like to spend some time alone everyday to recharge. And meditation is the perfect way to do that. There are many different techniques so it is best to try a few and decide which one is best for you. It is difficult at first to get the hang of it but it just takes practice. The video below might help as well.



It is important to take care of yourself (especially during busy exam times) since stress can lead to short and long term health problems. Even if you feel like you have no time, taking a few minutes every day to sit back and just relax will help in the long run. Meditation reduces stress, teaches you how to calm down high stress situations (that biology exam worth 40% of your mark) and helps you focus when it is most important.

In addition, the people you surround yourself with affects the way you deal with certain situations. Support and encouragement are important qualities in friends, but I'm sure you all know that. If you prefer to be social, try out a meditation DVD with a friend. You can lean on each other in your caffeine withdrawal.