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Rebecca Meyers<\/strong> | Lifestyle editor<\/span><\/p>\n After midterms, students are often in need of both physical and mental de-stressing. It\u2019s a struggle that comes around every term, but luckily there are plenty of ways to help shake the post-testing stress.<\/span><\/p>\n One of the most accessible options is right here on Western\u2019s campus. The Rest and Relaxation room, located in the Student Health and Counseling Center, is designed to help students manage their stress at any point in the term. The room can be reserved in half-hour time slots at wou.edu\/health, making it easy to slip into busy schedules. The room features a massage chair \u2014 the main attraction \u2014 a full-spectrum therapy light, a meditation spot and a few technological items to help students monitor their stress levels. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For the more introverted, or for the most exhausted, sometimes the best option is simply to follow \u201cParks and Recreation\u201d character Tom Haverford\u2019s advice: \u201ctreat yo\u2019 self.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n This might not necessarily be in the sense of spending money on material things, but instead by staying in, putting on a favorite movie or show and eating a favorite snack. <\/span><\/p>\n For the more structure-oriented, it might help to do the opposite. Taking some time to get reorganized <\/span>\u2014<\/span> updating a planner, getting back on a sleep schedule and planning some healthy meals <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>can help students feel more relaxed by being more prepared for the second half, and usually the most stressful part, of the term. <\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes, however, the best way to unwind from school is to ease mental usage and focus on the physical, either with workouts or distance from the source of stress. One of the upsides of Monmouth being a small town is that it\u2019s surrounded by popular hiking spots. According to Harvard Health, studies support the idea that just being out in nature can relieve a certain amount of stress. On top of that, any type of exercise can help lift a person\u2019s mood, even if it\u2019s minimal. <\/span><\/p>\n In the end, everyone\u2019s different and what works for some might not work for others. Learning which stress-relieving activity is the most effective through trial and error is, for many, an integral part of the college experience.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n