I’ve been at Cornell for about 3 months now and I’ve quickly learned how intense classes can get and how everything just seems to pile up in a matter of days. It becomes very difficult to stay on top of work and as a result, our stress accumulates to the point where we we can no longer handle it. It seems like the workload will never end and no matter how much you get done, you still feel behind. Last Thursday, I went to THRIVE @ Cornell to see how professionals suggest we handle it.

We’ve all heard about the typical “do your homework a little bit at a time” and “don’t wait until the night before to finish your assignments” spiel. This time, it was different. We got a much deeper, more interactive approach about how we should deal with stress. It was so much more realistic–the speakers understood that sometimes we just get behind, that sometimes we have to pull all nighters. My favorite demonstration was the opening for the event: she told us to pick up whatever was closest to us (I picked up the plate I stacked with cheese and crackers) and hold it above our heads and for how long we thought we would be able to hold it up. Even though the weight of the object doesn’t change, the burden it carries does. This was her analogy to stress.

She went on to tell us that there exists a scale of stress levels and at a certain point, stress leads to maximum productivity. But that threshold is small and falling into the unproductive, unhealthy stress zone is very easy. Sometimes we have to know when enough is enough and take off the metaphorical stress-backpacks we carry. The best way to deal with stress is to know when it’s starting to go over the threshold and take action to stop it from throwing us over the edge.

Last Thursday I went to a Rose Scholars event not knowing anything more about it other than the fact that they would try to teach us how to thrive at Cornell. At first, I was a bit skeptical, as I have heard many motivational talks about the small things to change in your life and it hasn’t made that great an impact on my life. But for some reason, this event really resonated with me and I went away with slightly different views of how I should lead my life. The most important thing for me was when they discussed our use of technology. I suddenly realized that I use every spare moment, every single one that I have, by looking at my phone. And I thought to myself that maybe I am having too many impressions and too little time where I just exist without an immediate purpose.

After the event, I tried to put down my phone and my computer more often, and it was harder than I thought. I notice that I slip up all the time, but I still have seen some benefits already, even though I have only practiced this new self-control for less than a week now. One of them is that I feel that it is easier for me to focus on my homework, as I don’t have so many distractions anymore. My mind also feels more collected in general somehow.

So, I am very pleased that I chose to go to this specific event. I only wish I had taken notes as they said a lot of very wise things to us. The presenters, Vice President Susan Murphy and Catherine Thrasher-Carroll, were both very nice individuals as well and I stayed for a dinner with them afterward, which I enjoyed a lot.

Last Thursday, I attended an event called “THRIVE at Cornell”. The event took place in the Common Room of Alice Cook House and was led by former Vice President Susan Murphy and Catherine Thrasher-Carroll, mental health promotion coordinator at Gannett. Prior to the event, I was not quite sure what to expect. I had a general idea from the poster that the event would offer ways to enhance the meaning of our Cornell experience – truly experiencing it, not just living it. However, I did not know the structure of the event. I liked that it was in the style of a presentation and that Ms. Murphy and Ms. Thrasher-Carroll asked interactive questions throughout the presentation. It was a smaller audience than say, the Becker-Rose Café Series talks, which made it feel even more intimate and personalized.

From the start of the presentation, Ms. Thrasher-Carroll and Ms. Murphy had the audience engaged. Ms. Thrasher-Carroll asked everyone to lift an object they brought with them or had in from of them up over their heads. We were asked to keep holding the objects up if we thought we could hold them up for a minute, five minutes, a day, a week. With each longer interval, fewer audience members remained holding up their objects. To me, this was an extremely powerful visual. It was also a great representation of how we are weighed down by our worries, thoughts, and stresses throughout the day. At some point, we have to let them go in order to lighten our physical and mental loads. Stress can take such a toll on the body, and while some stress can be motivating and invigorating, chronic stress can have negative short and long-term effects.

Ms. Murphy and Ms. Carroll helped us to explore some great topics, including the importance of breathing and sleep. I was most inspired by the concept of a growth mindset. Although everyone would like to think that they are able to maintain a positive, healthy attitude, we do often find ourselves getting stuck in a mental rut – it feels like everything is a struggle. I live by the motto of “slow and steady wins the race”, so when the tortoise and the hare analogy came up in a video that was played, I was all eyes and ears. Persevering even in a time of hardship is usually easier said than done, but with the growth mindset, you tell yourself, “I cannot do that, YET.” You have to give yourself time to get through the challenges. I really appreciated the analogy and the imagery.

Having gone to this event, I learned a lot of great tips about time management and keeping a healthy body and mind. But most importantly, I learned to be a bit more patient with myself. It is easy to get wrapped up in the hectic schedule of life at Cornell. What sets apart our experiences is if we are able to take a step back and give ourselves a break every now and then – giving ourselves the chance to truly grow. Ultimately, there are two roads – the one to survive and the one to thrive. I choose the latter.

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.