Mindfulness and meditation: a student’s best stress-relief tools
- aerhoderick
- Apr 6, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 17, 2022
Studies show that many college students struggle with mental well-being. But organizations promoting mindfulness and meditation, like the Chapman Inner Peace Club, are helping.
It’s a quiet, serene setting in Dee’s Garden of Senses, located outside of Chapman University’s Fish Interfaith Center. Sophomore Regan Cisar sits cross-legged, meditating next to a fountain.
“Meditation really allows us to give the thinking mind a break and really focus on what’s right here…right now,” she said.
Cisar, president of Chapman Inner Peace Club, has practiced meditation for over two years . And she may have a greater call for sharing her knowledge.
Cisar grounding herself through meditation.
A cry for help
With the pressures of assignments, work, and social life, it’s no surprise that many college students experience some stress and anxiety. However, when does it become “too much?”
Gen Z has been called the “most stressed generation to date.” This includes current college students, with one report finding that:
Nearly 1/3 of students reported depression so severe that they couldn’t function.
Mental health issues in student have been linked to eating disorders, substance use, and overall lower GPA.
73% of college students experience a mental health crisis at some point in school.
Breathe in, breathe out
At Chapman, clubs like Inner Peace Club can help individuals find mental stability and wellness.
The club meets once a week at the Wilkinson Founders Chapel, to practice mindfulness and meditation techniques and create a safe environment for stressed or struggling students.
“We all go through so much stress…midterms, finals, and work…it’s a lot of pressure,” says Paola Martini, the club’s vice president. “For me and for other people in the club, having this safe space that we go to every week…this really helps.”
Inner Peace Club actively reaches out to students.
Cisar usually leads guided mediations during the meetings, where students focus on breathing, grounding techniques, and keeping their thoughts in the present moment.
Mindfulness Meditation
Inner Peace Club uses Mindfulness Meditation (or MM), a practice combining meditating with mindfulness techniques. This teaches the individual to remain grounded in the present moment.
Across 23 studies of college students using MM, 18 reported that students had reduced stress levels.
Dr. Jay Kumar, the Director of Well-being at Chapman, centers his work around the stress-relieving properties of practices like MM.
“Very rarely is our mind in the present,” says Kumar, citing how many students constantly worry about exams and social stressors.
Kumar believes that having an “engaged presence” (or staying present) correlates to mental well-being.
“That’s what meditation in a nutshell really does, it starts to build that cognitive safety net,” says Kumar. “You become more adaptive, and not reactive.”
The result
While science shows the usefulness of mindfulness practices, it’s easy to see their effects through organizations like Inner Peace Club.
“It’s nice to see how meditation can actually change people, and how having a community can change people. And seeing that growth in all these different individuals,” says Cisar. “It’s really inspiring."
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