Coloring. (Kersten Marchese)
By Kersten Marchese
I left my coffee on the Dunkin’ pickup counter.
Did I put my sugar in the fridge?
How many notebooks can one person go through? This can’t be good for the environment.
These are all the thoughts I’ve had in the past week.
College can be stressful. Between homework, deadlines, classes, jobs and other responsibilities, it can feel overwhelming.
There is no guaranteed way to keep your sanity while excelling in school and life, but art can be a powerful tool for mental health. All forms of art can help relax the nervous system.
According to Professor Ava Fedorov, “We live in a world of constant distractions, so many things greedily demanding our attention all at once and from all angles.” “The practice of making and looking at art allows us to quiet that noise and let our minds wander into new spaces.”
There is no required amount of time to spend on art, she added. “I don’t think there should ever be a dogmatic feeling to making or looking at art. If it ever feels like an obligation, something is wrong,” Fedorov said. “A better way to approach it is to find art in your everyday: look at the world in a new way.”
Taking time to ground yourself and focus on beauty can be one of the best remedies for stress. Right behind laughter, of course.
Here’s to a calming semester — with a little help from art.
