Why You Should Meditate in College

Graphics by Anika Dua

Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Feel your body slowly relax and focus on your breath, in and out. 

As a chronic overthinker, I was always frustrated by my inability to meditate. Everyone seemed to talk about seeing these massive changes in themselves and their mindsets. But whenever I sat down to meditate, I'd get distracted and fidget as I thought about that one movie my friend told me about a month ago. I believed meditation was about having no thoughts, being calm and peaceful and holding posture seamlessly. It was something that was just supposed  to happen.

However, I've realized I couldn't have been more wrong. 

As senior year exams towered over me like a tsunami ready to sweep me up, I grew increasingly stressed and anxious. A million what-ifs would plague my mind, and I had difficulty sleeping due to nightmares about being late for my exam. It's safe to say I was not doing well. That was when someone recommended meditation to me. My first instinct was to laugh, but I decided to give it a try, having nothing to lose. 

So there I was, sitting in silence, breathing in and out, trying not to think. Inevitably, I'd start thinking about not thinking and that would take me to another spiral. But I tried to be optimistic and persisted. I brought my attention back to my breath each time it wandered and let those random thoughts float around. The first few days felt pointless, almost a waste of time. But I meditated consistently, and by month two, I felt like I was on top of the world, like I could surf above those massive tsunami waves and emerge victorious. 

And then I came to SU.

Coming to college was a huge change, and as I got wrapped up in campus activities, clubs and academics, I left behind my meditation habit. Soon, I realized I had slipped back into the routine of spiraling, stressing and procrastinating. My mind was eating me alive. 

So, I attended a small meditation retreat offered by the Buddhist Meditation Association at Hendricks Chapel, hoping to get back into the practice of meditation.

And guess what? It worked like a charm. 

I remembered why meditation was self-care for my mind, and by avoiding it, I was essentially charging headfirst into a brick wall. From then on, I made sure to meditate every day, whether morning or night.

And trust me, it has done wonders. After every meditation session, I feel calmer and more focused. I am relaxed and more self-aware. It even helps me regulate my emotions better, and everything doesn't seem like the end of the world.

To those interested in meditation, I'd recommend attending a group meditation session offered by the Buddhist Meditation Association. The timings are listed on the Buddhist Chaplaincy website. You can also try their Mindfulness training program that focuses on gaining a deeper understanding of meditation. 

You can also book a meditation room at Barnes for privacy. I'd also recommend downloading the Headspace app (launched by a former monk), which you can access for free for those who want a more guided experience. The link to download it is here.

And for all the skeptics out there, I'd invite you to try your hand at meditation for at least a month or two before you choose to stop.