Recently, I’ve had a large appetite for coloring pages, whether mandalas or Care Bears. I just wanted to bust out my prettiest pens and stationery to destress. My poor highlighters, usually only dragged out for class readings and midterm cram sessions, definitely deserved a better fate. It’s high time they got to enjoy a bit of straightforward coloring!
Now, diving into this creative outlet has been a great escape. It’s not just about passing time; it’s a way to shake off the stress. It’s so simple yet so effective. I put on my favorite playlist, zone out, and color! Lately, I’ve been aiming for about 30 minutes a day, even forgoing the coloring-between-the-lines for doodling and free hand drawing.
Let the facts speak for themselves:
Business majors often get teased that their toughest assignments are just glorified coloring pages. But let’s not dismiss coloring too quickly—it actually offers some serious benefits! An article by The Guardian cites a study published in the Creativity Research Journal: “The researchers tested 115 women aged 18 to 36 years old and found those who were assigned a week of coloring in tasks rather than other mind games such as sudoku reported lower levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms, though both groups reported feeling more mindful.” So, staying afloat in the spring quarter might just call for a few new pens and a few minutes of creativity.
On the same wavelength, the UC Santa Barbara Library and the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor announced the selection of the 2024 UCSB Reads book, Your Brain On Art: How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross. This year’s featured book explores the science of neuroaesthetics. It mentions how our brains and bodies benefit when we participate in the arts, even for as little as 45 minutes. The authors encourage painting, dancing, playing music, and expressive writing as essential to our daily lives. These outlets help us to not only de-stress and improve academic achievement but also bring joy to our lives. The library has held a few creative workshops since, even a panel with the authors (Susan Magsamen, the founder and director of the International Arts + Mind Lab, Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics at Johns Hopkins University, and Ivy Ross, the Vice President of Design for hardware product area at Google).
Taking inspiration from this, I’ve set aside some time each day to try something in the arts. From this experience, I can certainly attest that it has helped in more ways than one. Mentally, I take a step back from my daily stressors, and instead of coloring my Google Calendar with events and plans, I color in some Disney princesses. Since COVID, mental health issues in students have become increasingly prevalent, as described by a Her Camper in My First School Year Post-Covid. The lingering effects call for meditative and mindful practices—a call for art!
How to Start Coloring:
With that said, here are my favorite resources to get started. First, Amazon has purchasable adult coloring books. A cheaper option is to find single leaflet coloring pages online, or downloadable ones, that you can print and access for free. My roommate has also gotten in on the fun, downloading the Pigment app on her iPad. This makes your art portable! If you’re on the go or need a brain break mid-study, it’s a great resource to quickly release tension and calm anxieties. I’ve even colored in a few of the pages on Pigment just before a test. It helps me calm my heart rate and activate my mind. For some reason, once I’m bubbling in scantrons, it doesn’t have the same effect, though I’m filling in lines! Maybe because my study sessions got carried away into art classes…
Regardless, it’s super easy to get started! Simply begin your day with the intention of setting aside time to color (or do any art medium you like), and JUST DO IT! If you need to block out some time in your colorful calendar, all the better. Dedicate yourself to the craft!