Written by Padua Junior Jennifer C.

As a junior in high school, it is very easy to be consumed by the stress that comes with trying to stay on top of everything. Being able to get good grades, do well on the SAT and ACT, participate in extracurriculars, and maintain a social life are some of the things high school students have to keep up with. It’s hard to stay calm and worry-free trying to juggle all these tasks, and it is even harder to find time to take a break from everything. Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to learn how to meditate, and it has greatly helped me and my peers.

My views on meditation used to be very stereotypical and I never thought it was something I could benefit from. Being able to actively engage in meditation in Mr. Shelton’s class changed my entire mindset on it. On the first day of school, when I entered the Physics classroom, hearing my teacher say we could meditate for three minutes every day was the last thing I expected. I was shocked to think that a teacher would spend that much time on something other than the curriculum. At the same time, it was refreshing to hear a teacher suggest something like that. Even though I still had my doubts, and was already planning to use those three minutes as nap time, I was excited to see how meditation could work for me.

In the beginning, it was very hard to relax and keep my mind empty but as time went on I figured out how to effectively use my time during meditation. In just three minutes I am able to block out the rest of the world and clear my mind. It helps me get ready to focus in class and opens my mind to learning. I forget whatever I was worrying about just a couple of seconds before, and let myself take time to breathe. Normally I get very anxious easily and let my worries about the small things consume my mind, but meditation gives me time where I can be separate from my thoughts.

Having never meditated before, I am very happy that I was introduced to it and all its benefits. While meditating I can feel everything on my mind disappear and a feeling of peace takes over. It helps me forget about my worries and focus on being calm. I am very grateful that I was able to partake in such an amazing experience these past few months, and I am excited to see where my meditation journey will bring me.