Happy Friday! Has anyone else felt like they’ve had a ton of work on their plate? I know I have. Mental health and awareness is very important, and something that I have continually tried to balance. Being in my final year of undergrad is stressful, but I have found some ways to destress and unwind, even when my days are chaotic.

Something that has been helping me the past few weeks to deal with the workload of school has been going to yoga classes. We have classes at our Rec center on campus. The yoga classes are on Wednesdays at 2:30PM, and they are free! Yoga has helped me unwind after long days of sitting in lectures and to stretch out my body. Yoga is great because you can go at your own pace and gradually improve flexibility and posture. It also helps you to focus on your breathing and body awareness. I suggest everyone to give yoga a try! Especially here at USG, you can’t beat a free class.

Another way that I have been releasing stress is by playing soccer. I play on a co-ed, rec team on Monday nights. It is great exercise and helps me relieve stress and tension. It feels great to get competitive and have fun with friends. Organized sports are a great way to spend just an hour or two a week, having fun, meeting new people, and even trying new things.

When I have time, I also enjoy cooking new recipes. This is also a great idea for college students to meal prep lunches. This past week, my boyfriend and I made pulled chicken lettuce wraps. They were delicious! They were easy to make, and a healthy option. Eating healthy while being busy with work or school is important. It’s easy to get fast food and takeout, but eating a balanced diet helps with overall lowering stress levels. Recipe listed below.

Lastly, one of the big ways I relieve stress is to take a breather and unplug. I’ll put my phone on ‘do not disturb’ and enjoy being with my loved ones, or going for a hike, or sitting on my balcony reading a book. It’s nice to not get constant email notifications and be constantly reminded of everything we are obligated to! I hope I have inspired you to try out a yoga class, or play soccer, or simply put your phone down for a few minutes every day.

Recipe:

Yields 10 lettuce wraps

2 chicken breasts

Glaze:

2 tbsp soy sauce

4 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

4 cloves of minced garlic

Romaine hearts

Toppings (all optional):

¼ cup diced red onion

1 cup red cabbage shredded

¼ cup green onions chopped

1 avocado sliced

Peanut sauce

Sesame seeds

Teriyaki sauce

Mix all glaze ingredients in a bowl. Pour over chicken breasts in baking dish. Bake at 450 degrees for twenty minutes. Using two forks, pull apart the chicken and place it back into the baking pan with remaining sauce. Wash lettuce leaves and pat dry. Fill with chicken and toppings.

Put leftovers in storage containers to bring for lunches!