The Thrive workshop was a valuable reminder of how our mindset while at Cornell should not simply be to survive–it should be to thrive! The speakers talked about the different kinds of stress (e.g. daily vs. extreme stress) and how appropriate levels of stress are normal and beneficial to us, as they keep us alert, focused, and driven to accomplish the things that we set out to do. They also emphasized the need for sleep, exercise, balanced eating habits, and downtime. One major point stressed throughout the presentation was the importance of being flexible, adaptive, and resilient in the face of adversity and stress. Doing so provides us the opportunity to grow in a way that will prepare us for future instances of adversity.
This presentation really got me thinking about all the stress I have dealt with and continue to deal with as a college student. If I didn’t experience stress in regards to my academics, for instance, I might be more inclined to put my homework off and even neglect my courses altogether. Moreover, if I didn’t feel stressed about getting a job in the future, I might not even consider applying for internships or developing any “professional skills” (e.g. proper interview etiquette).
I feel as though this workshop would benefit a lot of incoming freshmen as they embark on their four-year journeys here in Ithaca. I know, looking back, I would have really appreciated it!
That is all.
This workshop sounds as though it was really valuable! I think that the important thing for everyone, regardless of what college we attend, is that we need to leave time for ourselves, to do something that we find fun and relaxing. When we have a project sue or a prelim coming up, we often forget to take a moment to breathe and relax. It sounds like this would be a great resource for freshmen as you had mentioned, especially because the transition to Cornell can sometimes bring a lot of stress of its own.