Stress and Relaxation

I had a final today.  During pre-finals week.  It was weird. 

Weirder, every time I take a test, I get a kink in my neck from sitting funny for an hour or two.  It's a kink that keeps my head tilted so I appear to be puzzled or in  deep though, when actually my muscles are just too tight from taking the test.  I call it post-exam-tilt head. 

So today I was walking out of the classroom thinking I should go home and go lay down with my head the oposite way of how I had been holding it, when Lisa Campbell, the assistant dean of students at the Center for Student Development, told me that there were free massages and snacks around the corner.  Um, yes, please.  It was absolutely delightful.  There were yummy snacks to eat while waiting--fruit, Capri Suns, and granola bars.  To add to the greatness, the Discovery Park library had cookies sitting out!  I had 30 minutes of pure bliss before heading back to reality.  The school put it on as a way to de-stress before taking those dreaded finals.

In the spirit of pre-finals week, I have compiled a list of the top 10 ways that I like to de-stress.

10.  Sitting in the sun

9.  Cooking

8.  Going to church

7.  Doing community service

6.  Yoga

5.  Reading

4.  Taking a bubble bath.

3.  Listening to Taylor Swift, Colbie Caillat, and John Mayer

2.  Exercising

1.  Getting a free massage (duh)

Random Fact: In Shakespeare’s time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. That’s where the phrase, “goodnight, sleep tight” came from.

This week at Discovery Park...

This week was pretty darn busy for me.  Coming back from vacation, I had a Computer Programming test and a Spanish presentation waiting for me.  It's nice to know, though, that when I need a little study break, Discovery Park has some great activities.  From the PS3 to the ping-pong tables to the piano, there's something for everyone.  Sometimes, we even have little programs going on. This week, there were two great programs that I just had to participate  in! 

First, the Student Development Center had a few tables out to make bookmarks and blankets for children.  The bookmarks went to at-risk pre-school children as an incentive to learn to read.  The blankets were for children who had lost their veteran parents overseas.  I made two bookmarks and helped with a blanket.  It was a very rewarding experience, and I love knowing that I did something that will make a child smile. 

I've put in a picture of Oscar, an engineering ambassador, making a blanket...

The other great program was a Paper Airplane Competition put on by the Transfer Center.  The rules for this one were pretty tough!  Our airplane MUST include (but is not limited to): 1 sheet of paper, 1 paperclip, 3 staples, and a bendy straw.  The hardest part was knowing what in the world to do with the straw!  Mine may not have gone the furthest (one went 25 feet, the other went backwards), but they are still in the running for the best design.  The winners of furthest flight and best design get a giftcard to the UNT bookstore, just in time for spring semester!

I've also put in a photo of my two planes... 

Thank goodness for study breaks!

Random Fact: Cereal was invented when colonial housewives started serving up popcorn with sugar and cream for breakfast.