Snow covered The Oval during the first week of the 2018 Spring semester. Credit: Jack Westerheide | Lantern File Photo
As Ohio State students finish out the holiday season, some may feel just as exhausted as when fall semester ended.
With spring semester approaching, Justin Barterian, a psychologist at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and College of Medicine, said focusing on the things that were brushed aside is a good place to start in order to recharge over break.
“Take a look and see what’s been missing for you. Has it been spending time with family? Has it been exercising? Is it just sitting down and watching some silly TV?” Barterian said.
Barterian said taking a break at the end of a difficult, fast-paced year with an abundance of negative news is crucial, but ignoring the pessimism entirely isn’t an easy task. He said scheduling 10 to 15 minutes per day for those pessimistic thoughts and news can help break the cycle of stress — as long as it’s not too serious.
For students who are finishing work for courses for which they took an incomplete, Barterian said scheduling specific time slots for that work will help ensure it and the accompanying stress does not spill over into time needed for relaxation.
Sharon Tucker, professor of psychiatric mental health nursing at the College of Nursing and advanced practice nurse, clinical nurse specialist, and board certified nurse coach, said mindfulness is important for students preparing to return to the stresses of college. According to the Mayo Clinic, mindfulness is the nonjudgmental awareness and acceptance of physical sensations, thoughts and emotions in the present moment. Although a common form of mindfulness is meditation, mindfulness can also be incorporated into everyday activities such as washing the dishes or taking a walk.
According to the American Psychological Association, practicing mindfulness is linked to decreased stress, reduced symptoms of major depression, improved short-term memory, increased emotional regulation and greater cognitive flexibility.
“It brings quality of life — brings joy,” Tucker said. “Just getting outside and walking is my favorite recommendation for most people.”
Tucker also said physical activity during a period of increased rest is highly beneficial and contributes to both mental and physical wellness. She said interacting with nature while exercising can help relax and rejuvenate the mind.
Ultimately, relaxation is a personal experience, Barterian said, and people should do what makes them feel happy and most comfortable, without influence from outside stressors.
“A question to ask yourself [to find something to do] might be: if I had no cares in the world today, what would I do? And if you can find your answer there, that’s probably what you should do,” Barterian said.
Barterian said this can include an entire day, or even a few days, of binge watching television, as long as not used to avoid other important tasks or to the point of causing harm.
