Without a doubt, this has been my most stressful semester of college. Between midterms and just everything, finding a balance between work and relaxation has been a difficult challenge. Although there is a current lull in stress, post-Spring Break, we’re slowly nearing the end of the semester (!!!) and, as a result, I wanted to share a few of the ways I destress.

1. Craft. I’m a person who is constantly fidgeting with my hair or with jewelry or with anything, really. I re-took up knitting and I find the constant rhythm of moving the needles is an easy way to relax.
2. Watch a funny TV show. Throughout the course of the semester I’ve made it through a purposefully unmentioned number of episodes of The Office. It’s nice to mindless watch something and laugh at the antics of Dwight and Jim. As an added bonus, I can knit while watching the show.If you don’t have time to watch an entire episode of a television show, here’s a short clip from an interview with Nick Offerman. Between 6:58 and 7:00 you can see Nick Offerman realize that the interviewer didn’t catch the joke.
3. Bake. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:
   • Sugar Cookies: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/9870/easy-sugar-cookies/
   • Snickerdoodle Cookies: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/05/19/soft-thick-snickerdoodles-in-20-minutes/
   • Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/11/30/double-chocolate-crinkle-cookies/
   • Lemon Blueberry Scones: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/08/06/glazed-lemon-blueberry-scones/
   • Parsnip Muffins: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/parsnip-muffins-recipe
     
4. Exercise. Now that it’s slowly starting to get sunny again, taking a walk around Tacoma is a great way to reduce stress. Although Tacoma is beautiful in the fall, I happen to think that Tacoma in the spring and early summer is slightly better. I also recommend yoga. You can attend one of yoga clubs weekly meetings. If the times don’t fit into your schedule, here’s a youtube channel that you can watch and follow along to: https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene.
5. Deep breathing. Here is an article from Time earlier this year that explains why deep breathing is the fastest way to calm down: http://time.com/4718723/deep-breathing-meditation-calm-anxiety/. Mediation Studio is also an app that I’ve used on and off that has some really good guided mediations.