UF’s colleges are helping students de-stress through a series of teaching sessions.
The UF Mindfulness project, which teaches meditation techniques, started its first Mindfulness Wave, a series of free sessions to teach students to relax and be in touch with their senses. Classes, taught by members of the mindfulness team, will run through April.
The goal of the teaching sessions is to bring attention to mindful practices — such as breathing exercises, meditation and focusing on the present — said Sabine Grunwald, a UF soil and water science professor and the UF Mindfulness project’s leader.
She said she wants students to know that mindfulness isn’t religious, and all students can participate.
“We want to raise awareness that it’s out there and available to you and to break down some of the misconceptions,” Grunwald said. “We can understand it only if we experience it by practice, which can be done by attending the sessions.”
She said by being mindful, students can avoid burnout, anxiety and a decreased attention span. Mindfulness can strengthen students’ communication skills, creativity and productivity.
Grunwald said UF Mindfulness wants to bring mindfulness techniques to UF’s campus.
“It is a huge effort of ours to see more mindfulness classes included in the graduate and undergraduate level,” Grunwald said.
Jeremy Koelmel, a UF fifth-year doctoral chemistry student and co-facilitator for the UF Meditation Club, said the club hosts weekly group meditations on campus.
He said some students find the club through UF Mindfulness and is glad UF is teaching students how to handle their stress.
“With the stress that comes with school, I think it’s a healthy practice that everyone should be interested in,” the 26-year-old said. “Meditation keeps me sane.”
