This weekend, I was overwhelmed with three papers to write that were all due on Monday, but I forced myself to leave my room to go to the self-care workshop.  Initially, I was hesitant because I didn’t want to lose 90 minutes and I really needed to focus on the essays, but after, I realized that what I really needed was a break.

When I walked into Rose Library, I was surprised to find the room filled with pumpkins.  The activity that had been planned for us was pumpkin carving, a fall pastime that I had not engaged in since I was in middle school.  It was nostalgic and surprisingly comforting.  It was nice to let my mind rest for a bit as I talked to some Rose residents that I had never met before.  It was a good opportunity to destress as well as to meet other people.

We were also presented with goodie bags at the end filled with candy, a stress ball, and some resources in case we ever want to reach out for help.  A speaker from Gannett came in to talk to us about the available resources on campus such as EARS, CAPS, and Let’s Talk.  This was especially relevant in light of the recent Mental Health Awareness Week.  Cornell can be an extremely stressful atmosphere sometimes and we have to remember to take care of ourselves.  I’m glad that I was able to remind myself of that by realizing how relieving it felt to not think about academics for even just an hour.  Good luck on prelims everyone and please take care!