I bit the bullet last week, gave 12 whole dollars to a student in my faculty and signed away my Tuesday night. For what you ask?! Why a trip down to Blue Jays Way of course, all the way to Second City! It was a faculty event to get in some fun, social time with classmates and to unwind. It was the "Improv All Stars" event and it was hilarious! I mean, I actually lol’d, and not just the kind of lol that you send in a text, I literally laughed out loud!
I've been looking to de-stress a bit before exams and think that a few extra laughs, coupled with my regular workout routine, might do the trick! I can tell you: both laughing ridiculous amounts and sweating profusely can leave a person feeling much better.
Where’s the exercise in that you might be asking? Well, let me just say that my abs got a hearty workout, I said goodbye to a whole lot of stress and I slept like a baby that night. The bonus? You can't overdo this kind of exercise, the more laughter, the better! I know it’s not on campus but it really was just a short walk away and with a large group of UofT students it felt just like home.
That's the thing, getting rid of stress shouldn't be serious. Exercise should be as fun as getting in some laughs. It shouldn't feel like a chore; make it fun with a Zumba drop-in class. If you bring a friend, I can guarantee you'll have a great time. You might start off laughing at the awkwardness of it all, but once you warm-up, you'll be letting loose and feeling limber! Not ready to throw your hips about in that sexy, Latin salsa way?
Perhaps a 3-on-3 bball tournament will do the trick? Check out the graphic and you'll see, this is not a serious tourney: sure the competition may be stiff, but something tells me fun will be the priority.
Whether or not you’re looking for laughs to relieve stress or a physical way to do it, you'll be glad you took a time out. I'm looking to yoga at the Athletic Centre to work on my inner peace and flexibility foundation (more on that to come). With exams just around the corner, it’s a great time to solidify your get-physical routine! This way you’ll mitigate the repercussions of the exam anvil falling on your tired, sluggish, over-worked student body!
If you’re sitting at your desk and you can’t possibly tear yourself away find yourself a fave comedian online. Personally, I’m partial to Louis CK and I recommend this clip…
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk
If that doesn’t seem like enough laughs then perhaps catching an episode of The Daily Show or Modern Family will do the trick. Or check out a movie, a friend recently reported that Tower Heist was surprisingly good!
Don't take my word for it though, find out yourself. Frankly, getting out of your room and hanging with friends for a laugh, or getting some form of physical activity, will do you a world of good! Let me know what places you find and best of luck!!
Later Skaters.
-Laura
My friend and I went to a Zumba class at Hart House on Wednesday night! It was really fun 🙂