This year at Chapman has easily been my most stressful school year. My classes have gotten increasingly more difficult, and my growing workload and fewer hours of sleep have truly reflected in my daily life.
I think that sophomore year life speeds up a lot, especially moving into a house for the first time and having to worry about being on time for monthly bills as well as weekly assignments. Thankfully, I have recognized the importance of taking time to myself, and I think that it is extremely important for all students when experiencing high levels of stress to occasionally disconnect from life’s many demands, and take a break.
One way to relax is to hike, and luckily there are many hikes around Orange. Some of my favorites are Santiago Creek Trail Loop, Santiago Oaks Trail, and Irvine Regional Park Trail. Download the app “AllTrails” and it will tell you about the hikes nearby you, what their scenery is, and what other hikers have said about them. Another way to travel outside of Chapman is to go to the beach.
Newport Beach and Long Beach are just around 20-30 minutes away, and if you are looking for a little adventure, take a weekend trip down to San Diego which is about an hour and a half drive for a weekend of beach camping. Finally, my favorite way to disconnect from the stress of school is doing yoga, and meditation.
SunSpark Yoga is located right in the Orange circle, and for $25 you can have two weeks of unlimited classes, including various meditation classes. Chapman’s Interfaith Center also offers meditation, my personal favorite being sound meditation which sometimes happens on Mondays from 5:15-6:30pm.
Thankfully there are many ways to relax from the day-to-day stress that comes with going to school at Chapman and life here in Orange, and I hope that you will find an outlet that allows you to unwind just as I have.
