We all know how stressful being a student is. I forever feel like I am riding the never-ending struggle bus heading to struggleville. I feel this more than ever right now, because I have to figure out how to condense a semester’s worth of work into two months and also find a grown-up job. If you have the end of the semester blues and you are stressed about how to do life successfully, here are my four easy, cheap and fun steps to being happy.
1. Dance
Whenever I’m really sad I strip down to my underpants and shake my groove thang until it hurts. There is nothing more invigorating than slow twerkin’ in your undies to Beyoncé. After dancing, I usually feel too fierce to be sad anymore or end up laughing at myself so much that I feel better. If you are feeling down or just need a mood booster, I encourage you all to dance. Dance like a freakin’ maniac. Dance like no one is watching or dance like everybody is watching. Dance like that orange bear that’s on Grand Blvd. every Friday; that bear has some groovy moves. Dance like that woman who was always on the corner of Chouteau Ave. and S. Grand around the med campus getting down with her mp3 player. These individuals know how to live life; they prove just how amazing dancing can be.
If you need a visual aid of how to get down in your undies to Beyoncé, check out my most recent blog post on my blog, Weird Is The Movement.
2. Consult your escape.
What’s that one thing you do to escape the everyday stresses of life? That thing that you love to do alone? That thing that you never get tired of doing?
Find that thing, and then do as much of it as possible.
My escapes are laughing, music and art, just to name a few. All these activities have the ability to brighten my mood. If dancing in your undies doesn’t work, do whatever it is that helps you escape.
3. LOL
That expression – laughter is the best medicine – is true. Laughter is a powerful antidote to relieve stress, relieve pain and make you feel great. When you laugh you boost your immune system, release endorphins and also improve your mood. I live by the motto that 30 minutes of laughter a day can take the sadness away, it’s at least guaranteed to take the sadness away for the 30 minutes spent laughing.
Laughter has been proven to dissolve distressing emotions. You can’t feel anxious, angry or sad when you’re laughing. Don’t believe me? Watch a funny YouTube video right now. Notice your mood, it got a little happier, didn’t it?
If you really want to know the power of laughter, try laughter yoga. Yes, it is as bizarre as it sounds. There is even free laughter yoga every Wednesday at Plush, which is located within walking distance from SLU, at 5:30 p.m.
4. Food
George Bernard Shaw, a wise foodie, once said, “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” Shaw was right, no love will ever compare to my love for pizza. Pizza has temporarily cured a lot of my aliments. I give thanks and praise to the magical powers of dough, sauce and cheesy goodness. If you don’t believe that pizza or any food can enhance your mood, come find me and I’ll treat you to Pi Pizzeria, my favorite pizzeria in St. Louis.
