Breathe in. Breathe out. Congratulate yourself. Do you ever feel yourself becoming overwhelmed? With exams or midterms? Are your usual leisure activities not satisfying the uneasiness? Meditation is the key.
Meditation has been around for thousands of years. Starting in India through ancient spiritual traditions, this practice has ventured around the world from the east to the west. So, what is meditation exactly? Mediation is a practice that is mental and spiritual that uses techniques such as mindfulness, to achieve clarity, awareness, and calmness.
What form of meditation is the best for a stressed college student? Well, that depends on what you want out of it. There are two types that are the most common: focused-attention meditation and mindfulness meditation. Focused-attention meditation is directing one’s attention to a single focus, like a mantra, an image, or breathing and keeping the mind focused on only that thing. Mindfulness meditation is focusing on emotions, bodily sensations, and emotions without becoming indulged in them. So, which practice is best for you?
If your problem is concentrating, focused-attention meditation is best for you! In focused-attention meditation when one is focusing on a single point and their attention is diverted, the individual can bring their mind back to that single point. This helps keep the mind from wandering, which is common during studying. As college students, we tend to always be thinking about the next thing because there is always another assignment, and sometimes the mind just needs a singular focus. Practicing this form of meditation will help increase the attention span, which increases productivity because you are able to focus. This practice also helps declutter the mind, so the information retained will only be the important information. Finally, with the mind decluttered, stress will be relieved.
On the other hand, if your problem is overthinking and stressful situations, mindfulness meditation is best for you! With mindfulness meditation, the individual will focus on their breathing and be hyperaware of their sensations. Instead of dwelling on them, the individual just observes them and continues to be present in the moment. This helps reduce anxiety. As a college student there are always deadlines and exams, by practicing mindful meditation, this can help program the brain to stay in the present, and lowers rumination. This can also help improve sleeping patterns. Overthinking and stress interfere with sleeping, and in return, less sleep can contribute to low academic performance. Mindfulness meditation calms the mind, so if it is practiced before bedtime, sleep will improve and thus performance will improve.Â
Both of these can be used together anywhere: in the dormitories, study rooms, or even libraries. These practices teach and encourage students to manage stress and not completely get rid of it. This is important because as life progresses, more stress will arise and knowing how to cope with stress is vital. It is never too late to start practicing meditation. There is no set time limit that one has to practice mediation, either. Ten to twenty minutes of meditation can be more beneficial than one might ever imagine.
There are other forms that deserve an honorable mention, such as guided meditation. Guided mediation is where an individual is being taught directly from a teacher or video and the exercise will focus on a specific need. Another is Transcendental Meditation, which is where a mantra is repeated silently for fifteen to twenty minutes a day, twice a day. Mantras include words and phrases, such as “Zazen.” Lastly, breath awareness meditation focuses on a simple breath to help induce relaxation. All of these are beginner-friendly and anyone can practice them!
Meditation is the key to lowering anxiety and stress, as well as improving productivity. As college students, we all need an outlet that is effective and fulfilling. Next time you feel yourself dwindling and spiraling, try one of these easy exercises. You never know how effective something is until you try it!