High school can be a stressful time, and finding ways to mitigate that stress is vitally important to obtaining good grades and keeping peace of mind. One approach is through meditation and mindfulness, a fast growing trend throughout the U.S.
In a recent CNN article on mindfulness in education, the author mentions that the practice of mindfulness in schools has rapidly grown and more educators are exploring ways to offer it to their students.
While many students may not take meditation seriously at first, the developing evidence and trends are showing that these exercises are helping teens all over the country with their social, emotional, and attention skills and in coping with academic pressures.
According to Dr. Vo, author of “The Mindful Teen: Powerful Skills to Help You Handle Stress One Moment at a Time,” mindfulness can help improve teens’ relationships, behaviors, and schoolwork.
What do you have to lose by trying these techniques and calming your mind for a better performing you? Talk to your teachers, principal, and school counselors to explore the options offered in your school or community–or find out how to implement them.
In the meantime, here are a few apps to get you started:
- Take a Chill—An application filled with tools to help teens manage stress and bring mindfulness into their everyday lives.
- Stop, Breathe, and Think— Short meditations to help you stop, breathe, and expand your mind.
- Mindshift—An app to help teens and young adults cope with anxiety.
- Kelty Mental Health Mindfulness—Resources for parents, educators, and young adults on practicing mindfulness.
Learn more about UVM’s courses for Pre-College students.