To set a positive tone for the year, our wellness coordinator Anne BARGIACCHI prepared 5 Wellness Tips for students. We're releasing the first one of the series today!

Wellness Tip #1 : Take the time to “check in” with yourself during your day at school

When we are at school, we tend to be “in our heads” a lot (to focus, to learn, to listen to the teacher, to follow the directions, to solve a problem or write an essay, to try to sort out a peer conflict or a romantic relationship issue…you got the idea!). In doing so, we forget to listen to what our bodies have to “tell us”, but our bodies are very important to our physical, mental, emotional and social well being at school and to be able to learn! They are sending us critical cues about what we need. 

To counteract this tendency, as often as possible, have a “micro break” (even for a very short moment during a class, especially if you start to feel unwell or uncomfortable, if your focus is decreasing and/or if you are having a hard time to understand or do an assignment)… Check-in with your body briefly: ‘How am I feeling right now? What do I need right now to be able to learn, focus and/or feel good with my peers?’. Some things you can do while staying in class are: moving slightly on your chair, relaxing any tension in the body, abdominal breathing, counting to 10 in your head, looking away through the window to see the light, focusing on your 5 senses (something I can see, something I can hear, something I can touch…); during recess, take the time to ask yourself if you need to have a glass of water, a snack, to connect with someone.

You can become better at doing quick or micro check-ins by practicing longer check-ins during some formal activities (like visualization activities, mindfulness, yoga, breathing exercises,...) - the idea is to learn to quickly adjust to what you need and to be flexible with yourselves. And if you're a student at the Lycée you can always come to the Wellness Center to learn and practice some of these activities!