Taking a music break
Practicing, experiencing, or listening to music can alleviate stress. Students at Cal Poly and professors at the Cal Poly music department encourage students to incorporate more music into their lives to ease the mind. Put down those books for a moment, plug in the ipod, and relax.
Professor David Arrivee speaks out about student stress
Professor David Arrivee, professor in the Cal Poly Music Department, director of the Cal Poly Symphony, and musical theory teacher, discusses positive affects of music on the mind. Arrivee explains, ” Performing music is a “flow experience”. This term describes the mental state of losing oneself, concentrating deeply on a single task, and best of all, experiencing genuine happiness.”
Arrivee describes how making and listening to music are two very different things but both provide stress relieving benefits: “Listening doesn’t necessarily require skill, unless you’re analyzing the music you hear, and is thus open to everyone.” Arrivee explains that taking a music class can be a welcome escape from other stressful tasks: “Studying music is fun and the challenge is equal to [the student’s] newly acquired skills.”” Some of music’s stress relieving benefits include:
- regulating mood
- remembering positive past experiences
- Using different types of music for different moods: for example, listening to aggressive music while working out or listening to calming music when wanting to relax
- learning new things outside of one’s major
For more healthy benefits associated with listening to music from about.com click here
Students stray outside their major for musical relaxation
University Choir Song Set
Brandon Colona, 21, a mechanical engineering major and a member of the University choir speaks out about the benefits of incorporating music into student life. Colona says, “The main reason I take choir is something as a stress reliever. Singing is a great way to express yourself. I really enjoy doing it. I have always been involved in music and its always been something that is present in my life.” Tim Ambrose, 21, a computer engineering major, and also a member of the University choir agrees with Colona saying, ” its a good break from all the engineering stuff.”
Music majors live out their passion
Rubell preparing for choir class
Students majoring in music experience just as much stress academically as anyone else. Still, performing and expressing oneself through music can be a helpful way to relax and ease the anxious mind. Shaina Levin, 21 and a music major here at Cal Poly says her major can take up a lot of time but in the end is all worth it. Levin explains, ” Once all the practicing is over and I get a chance to perform the music I have been working on its incredible, there is no other feeling like it.” Levin urges students to bring music into their everyday lives as an outlet, ” If someone is feeling stressed they can listen to a specific genre or type of music to calm them down.” Alexis Rubell, 20, and music major here at Cal Poly agrees that her Major can be overwhelming. Still, Rubell believes the end result is what keeps her going: ” I’m one of those people that freaks out and would definitely consider myself a stressful person. Sharing music with others is rewarding and I really think it helps me.”
So whether a student plans to join the choir and venture outside of their major, find reward in performing, or just sit back and listen to some tunes, music can be a great way to ease tension. Finding our own ways to experience music can be a great way to refocus, relax, and rejuvenate.
Students Sweat to Relieve Stress
Stressed students will benefit from daily physical activity both emotionally and physically. Diving into fall quarter, finding time to exercise and clear the mind can be difficult.
Jackie Bates, 21, a biology major at Cal Poly, walks out of Cal Poly’s Recreation Center looking sweaty but refreshed:
Bates says, ” Working out is so important for me because I always have so much on my mind. The gym is a place where I can zone out and release those endorphins that are so important for keeping my well-being in check.”
In response to how she deals with stress, Bates says diet and exercise are key. One of Jackie’s favorite forms of exercise is Yoga.
Jackie explains, ” Yoga is so relaxing and really helps me to work on my breathing in order to relieve stress and leave with a clear mind”.
Free Yoga Classes at Cal Poly’s Recreation Center
Yoga classes are offered at Cal Poly’s Recreation Center almost every day and come highly recommended for those looking to relax. For a detailed schedule on all yoga classes offered click here. Erik Alexander, the Fitness Coordinator at Cal Poly Recreation Center, encourages students to check out yoga classes at the rec center and to stay active during the school year. Alexander speaks in response to how students should use fitness to manage their stress:
” Yes, I think especially on campus where schedules are so regimented it is good to have time to breathe at least for an hour. It is good to have a regular check in and center yourself.”
After speaking to many students Alexander adds, ” Fitness overall helps students sleep and perform better even if that means just coming out a couple times a week”.
Join a Yoga Studio here in San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo’s own Yoga centre on Santa Barbara street is offering student discounts and encourages all students to enjoy a first class FREE. Grace Berg, a certified yoga instructor for the Yoga Centre gives a detailed interview on how yoga can benefit a students health and well being:
Berg says, ” Yoga helps reduce stress by positively affecting your parasympathetic nervous system by helping lower stress hormones and heart rate. Helping to quiet your mind is a big part of the practice of yoga”.
yoga benefits you by:
- releasing tension
- improving posture
- centering your mind
- stimulating the lymphatic system
- benefitting the immune system by balancing the body’s energy
- improving breathing techniques
- overall relaxation and putting the mind at ease
Berg encourages students to come by the Yoga Centre and check out their special student membership rates. She also make a point saying yoga class is a very different experience when practiced in a yoga studio as opposed to a gym.
Berg adds, “Gyms practice more repetitive and simple poses that are appropriate for all levels of learning since many people are unexperienced and like to just drop in. In a yoga studio, like the Yoga Centre, we offer over 65 different classes that cater to each individual. The relationship with your teacher for example is very important in a Yoga studio and people have the opportunity to move farther along in the practice here.”
Practicing yoga between classes
The next beginners class at the Yoga Centre starts wednesday at 4:15. Enjoy your first class for FREE.(click here to see schedule)
Directions to Yoga Centre
Physical exercise in any form is beneficial to your health and stress management. Yoga however focuses specifically on:
- Deep breathing
- Centering you body and mind
- practicing to quiet your mind
No matter what your level of experience, free beginners classes at the recreation center and special offers at yoga studios like the Yoga Centre are available to all students. Take an hour to stretch, breathe, and quiet your busy mind.
Slo Student Health 