How to destress during this busy October

October has always been a hectic month for me. In high school, it was always the time when everything started getting difficult simultaneously. I would have lots of theatre rehearsals, dance practices, all of my classes were suddenly hard, and then it was also around homecoming and Halloween. I thought that it would change once I came to college, but I was very mistaken. It is exactly the same, except I now also work on the weekends, am in a sorority, and have to find time to do things like grocery shopping! I love being so involved, but it can definitely get overwhelming at moments. Some things that I do to destress are to take time to myself doing something mindless like watching TV or taking a shower. I find that I really depend on my personal time to be able to function with my busy schedule.

Many McMurry students also experience a busy October like I do. I asked junior Jack Greenwald what he does to decompress, and he explained that he likes to hang out with friends after doing lots of schoolwork on his own, and at times when his social battery is running out, he likes to recharge by himself.

I also asked junior Lauren Scott how she unwinds, and she said, “Something that I learned earlier this semester is that I need to have an artistic outlet beyond school to ground me. For me personally, that’s dance! In order to maintain some sense of stability, I needed to dedicate time to physically release stress and feel connected to my body. Although I still struggle with the load of school, work, and other activities, dancing allows me a little time just for me!”

There are many ways to take time for yourself during this busy month, and I suggest trying different options and finding what works best for you!

Even though it is a very busy time, there are many things to look forward to this month at McMurry! This weekend is Family Weekend, and there are lots of events going on such as the pep rally, Halloween movie night, Makona 5K for Breast Cancer Awareness, and the Blackout tailgate and home game against HSU. Also happening in October is Homecoming! This is one of the most looked-forward-to weeks of the year, and for good reason!

I asked Jack and Lauren what they were more excited for during the remainder of October and Jack answered with homecoming overall! Lauren said that she is especially looking forward to the homecoming musical: Little Shop of Horrors. She plays Ronette, one of the Doo Wap girls, and is so excited to bring her to life on stage. I am on the same page as Lauren, I am most excited for our musical! We perform Oct. 31 – Nov. 3, and the link for tickets can be found here and on all McMurry Theatre social media pages.