During these new global circumstances, being a student has become more complicated, no more study groups in the library and no more late-night runs to Starbucks (at least for now). Like many others around the world, I’ve had to transition my living space into a classroom, study hall and testing center in a short amount of time.

Such drastic changes can be stressful, so I decided to use what I’ve been learning in the Acupuncture program and practice some self-care. Luckily, I was in the middle of a Medical Qi Gong course when we went into quarantine. The intention for the Medical Qi Gong class is to learn enough sequences to improve our own health, and to understand enough technique to share with our patients.

Now is the perfect time to add Qi Gong to my routine. Each week I hop on YouTube, find my favorite Qi Gong video and get started. The biggest lesson I’ve learned in these last few months, is that more than ever it’s integral for me to include things on my schedule that bring me joy. Being a full-time student can be stressful at times, so I try to do something new each week to balance things out.

To my fellow students, acknowledge the stress, develop a plan to use it to your advantage, try something new, and most of all be kind to yourself!