Dear Vanderbilt,
November is crunch time. Professors attempt to get in all their last minute assignments, exams, and projects without regard for any of their students' well being. Sleep becomes a last priority and well, who has time for stress management?
This month, our group focused on using aromatherapy and massage therapy to help reduce our stress. From the perspective of someone whose stress always forms knots in my back, I was very very thankful that this was massage month. Instead of using our budget to buy massages, we were lucky that the annual Mega Stress Fest was this month at the SLC. At this Mega Stress Fest we got paraffin hand treatments and massages.
While the massages felt great and the paraffin hand treatments left our hands feeling so smooth, I felt as though massage therapy was a very temporary form of stress relief. My back felt great for a day and then before I knew it, the knots were there again! Yoga and meditation were very effective long term stress reducers, while the massage therapy was a very effective short term stress reducer.
Aromatherapy is something I didn't expect to help much. But you would be surprised how relaxing walking into a pleasant smelling room after a long day of class can be. The type of smell is important, I realized. An apple cinnamon scent is a lot less calming than a cool breeze scent in my opinion.
The other members of my group had varying preferences in scents ranging lilac to french vanilla. Aromatherapy is something I think is a easy, effective, long lasting method of relaxation.
Well that's all for now Vanderbilt. Stay tuned for more!!!!
*Interviews from the Mega Stress fest are coming soon.
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