With school being over in under two weeks, many have been left with the question of what to do next. So many camps and activities canceled, it really seems like there is nothing to do. However, it will take a lot of creativity to come up with fun things. In my house, we cleaned the first weekend. We watched movies the second weekend and now have been on our own to come up with new ideas. I love the idea of coming up with themed dinners but that only fills one night and now we are looking at a whole summer ahead of us. It is now important as ever to take care of your mental health and make sure that you are doing okay. Here are some of my best tips to stay sane in these crazy times. 

Start a journal! It is so important to document these crazy times. One day you will definitely want to look back on all of these memories. The University of Rochester Medical Center says Journaling helps control your symptoms and improve your mood by: Helping you prioritize problems, fears, and concerns. This practice is so therapeutic and stress relieving. Plus, filled journals are so cool to keep and continuously read back on. Barrett Bookstore has a great selection of journals and pick-up is super easy. Just call ahead of time on the phone and they will put it on a book cart behind the store. Sophomore Meg Nedder said, “I think that journaling is really helpful for people because they get to take stuff off their minds by writing it down.” and that could not be more true. 

Bead bracelets. One of my favorite calming activities is beading. It is super easy and you are always left with a great final product. Bonus points if you shop local at Beadworks in South Norwalk. My sister Charlotte says they have the coolest beads around and the shop is so pretty and fun. I love making bright colored bracelets so my wrist always feels cheery and makes me smile. 

Meditate. So cheesy to hear it from parents and teachers but it can be a super helpful skill when done correctly! Who doesn’t want to be zen all the time? This practice is so helpful and can be used in basically every situation. Sophomore, Meg Nedder, also emphasized how important mediation is to her. There are so many apps that are easy to use and make meditation seem less intimidating.

Run. nothing clears your mind like a great run. Entrepenuer.com says it almost feels like sweating the stress out. This is such a great activity because it gets you moving but also has very satisfying results. I would totally recommend Cherry Lawn park. They have an awesome trail that is typically empty. Junior, Shea Ehrart said, “I went for a run in woodland park and it was a great way to clear my head and get in a good excessive while enjoying the nature” 

Learn to embrace this change. Yes, these times are so weird but the more normal they feel, the happier you will be. It has never been more important to focus on your mental health and make sure you are doing okay. This will pass and so will this summer 🙂