October 12, 2009
by Cecilia Barajas | Staff Writer
Meditation has been hailed by some pundits as an effective alternative to handling mind-boggling stress and is so cost effective that it makes the most frugal person leap over backwards with joy. It can also improve your grades, social life, self-confidence and general health.
Anthropology major Devon Carsen, 19, meditates while playing the flute Oct. 12 at the fountain on the quad at City College.Photo illustration Randy Briggs
College students have a lot to deal with in their lives on a daily basis.
Students increase their stress levels as they worry, cramming in homework, work, social life, family, and recreation into a 24-hour-time frame.
According to the American Institute of Stress, as many as 90 percent of students who visit their primary care physicians are victims of stress.
“I think a lot of people are distracted, we worry about the future and it’s stressful,” says Maximillian Santiago, a fine art major and host of a weekly meditation circle in William Land Park. “Meditating is like freeing yourself from the outside. Why should you have to worry about anything besides what’s in front of you?”
So is meditation a reliever of stress?
According to City College nurse Wendy Gomez, meditation can suit the needs of some, in other cases it can be inappropriate.
“In some cases, yes, and in some cases no. Meditation is good but if your anxiety or stress can be controlled by talking with someone or by exercising then no,” Gomez says. “Not everybody can do meditation.”
Math major Maggie Martinez says that meditation has functioned for her thus far.
“Sometimes I meditate, so I can get my mind straight for school,” Martinez says. “So far it seems to have helped me.”
But for English major Celina Florez, meditation isn’t an option to solve her conflicts.
“I usually don’t meditate because I don’t have the time, but with all the stress from school and work, a little quiet time to myself helps relieve some of it,” Florez says.
According to Santiago, meditation is a practice of focusing attention on anything but the world’s stresses and problems.
“You have to appreciate the moment more because it’s the only thing that’s real,” says Santiago.
“Everyone should be like a tree, simple. Our lives are so complex.”
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