Sasha Narang ’18

As I finally reach the end of my first quarter as a junior, I can confidently say there is one thing that has gotten me through the stressful nights of cramming for tests: yoga and meditation.

It would take me hours to count the number of times I’ve been told that “junior year is the hardest year of high school,” so, when I found out that yoga was offered as a gym quarter, I immediately knew taking it would be most wise.

Why? Simply because yoga is relaxation. Being a junior, we’re constantly told that “relaxation” is impossible.

However, setting aside 20 minutes a day to clear my mind and focus on my breathing has helped me cope with my stress, as well as calm myself down. Yoga, the new offered gym elective, gives me the opportunity to do this during the school day.

“I wasn’t sure I would like yoga after I signed up for it as my first gym quarter,” Nicole Arellano ’18 said. “But I’m actually really happy I made the decision. It’s a great way to forget about school and just focus on myself.”

In addition to relieving stress, yoga has many other benefits. “I can definitely say that my flexibility has increased. We stretch every class so it’s not only benefitted myself mentally, but physically too.” Nick Bilotti ’18 said.

A lot of people told me I would hate yoga because of its difficulty. While, yes, some moves are more advanced than others, the routines we’ve explored in class are easily attainable and leave me feeling refreshed.

With only three weeks left of yoga, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. A weight has been lifted off my shoulders by incorporating it between difficult classes. Yoga and meditation have helped me learn how to manage stress in my life and is a skill I find necessary.