Problem: Law School Stresses Me Out

Solution: Try petting a friendly dog.

Emma and Braddock demonstrate helpful relaxation techniques.

According to WebMD, it only takes 15 minutes with a dog to feel less anxious and less stressed. "Your body actually goes through physical changes in that length of time that make a difference in your mood. The level of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, is lowered. And the production of serotonin, a chemical associated with well-being, is increased. Reducing stress saves your body wear and tear." http://pets.webmd  Studies have shown that petting a friendly dog lowers blood pressure, decreases anxiety, and boosts happy endorphins.  Therapy dogs and their volunteer handlers have been specially trained to offer therapeutic benefits to hospital patients, children with disabilities, the elderly, trauma victims, and now...law students! Therapy dog programs are in place at Tufts University, University of Connecticut, Yale Law School, and UNH School of Law.  The therapy dogs that come to our school  certified through Therapy Dogs International. Find out more at http://tdi-dog.org/

Feed Your Brain

webmd.com

webmd.com

I don't want to deal with brain fog during midterms.  So I looked up lists of foods that are believed to help the brain function at its best.  Turns out, some of my favorite foods are on the list, like green tea, blueberries, and chocolate!  Yay!

Here's the list:

Nuts
Chocolate
Salmon
Avocado
Blueberries
Green Tea
Eggs
Beans


Here are the links:

http://www.healthcastle.com/six-foods-eat-fuel-your-brain-your-exam

http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/slideshow-brain-foods-that-help-you-concentrate

webmd.com

UNH Law Magazine Article

A very sweet article in UNH Law Magazine.  :)
"A Life in Balance"

"6 Reasons You Need More Sleep"



piccsy.com

This slideshow from Shape.com caught my attention.  Getting more sleep sounds like a great idea, but feels impossible.  However, I was reminded that sleep makes our brains work better, improves memory and concentration, and keeps us from getting sick as often, which are obviously important in law school.  Here's the link. 

http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/6-reasons-you-need-more-sleep

Peaceful Playlist: March

Here are some tunes to keep you calm during midterms:

Latika's Theme - Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack
Piece for Solo Flute - Dead Can Dance
Theme - Harry's Game soundtrack
New Orleans Instrumental No. 1 - R.E.M.
Is This Love - Bob Marley
Bleeker Street - Simon and Garfunkel
One of These Things First - Nick Drake
Wash Away (Reprise) - Joe Purdy
One Love/People Get Ready - Bob Marley
We are All Made of Stars - Moby
I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
Quelqu'un m'a did - Carla Bruni
Lay It Down - Al Green
Amen - Jewel
Orange Sky - Alexi Murdoch

Prepare for Self-Care

It's a new semester! Make some preparations so that it will be more convenient to take good care of yourself when you barely have time to breathe (like when midterms come around).  Here are some suggestions:

Stock your freezer with....

• Frozen vegetables (during midterms you won't have time to shop for and prepare fresh)
• Frozen multigrain waffles (a great breakfast option when you are too busy to shop; there are great frozen, even organic, multigrain waffles out there)
• Nuts (freeze these so they stay fresh)
• Ice cream (in case of emergency)

Stock your cupboard with...

• Honey (for when you come down with the inevitable cold)
• Chamomile tea (for nights when you are too anxious to sleep)
• Vitamins (a multi, plus extra C)
• Peanut butter (long-lasting, protein packed, and comforting)
• Chicken broth or vegetable broth (to make easy soups)
• Popcorn (for late-night snacks without sugar/salt/chemicals)
• Zip-lock bags (sandwich and snack sizes)
• Quick-cooking Oatmeal (go-to breakfast and cookie ingredient)
• Plastic food storage containers (salad, soup, and snack sized, plus compartmentalized)
• Dark chocolate (obviously)
• Non-stick cooking spray (for cooking eggs, cookies, or anything else)

Stock your fridge with...

• Small bottles of Champagne (you'll certainly have reasons to celebrate this semester, but don't need to drink a full-sized bottle)
• Eggs (these last a long time, so you can stock up)
• Lunches and dinners for your first week of school (make ahead on Sunday for the whole week)
• Good bread (lasts longer in the fridge)
• Miso paste (for easy soup when you run out of broth)
• Pancake syrup (for your oatmeal, quinoa, cookies, or waffles)
• Salad dressing (salads are an easy lunch or dinner option you can make ahead)

Stock your backpack/briefcase with...

• Hand sanitizer (unless you don't believe in it)
• Tissues (someone will need one, even if it isn't you)
• packs of Emergen-C (never too much vitamin C)
• Emergency snacks (crackers, nuts, breakfast bars, or dried fruit)

Update your iTunes playlist with...

• Peaceful playlists for studying/relaxing (see my page for recommendations)
• Workout playlists (to keep you motivated)
• Books from Audible.com (listen while you work out or commute)
• Yoga videos so you can practice at home (search for "yoga" in the TV Shows filter for some great options)

Stock your bedside table with...

• Lavender pillow spray (helps you calm down before sleeping)
• A bedtime book to take your mind off school before you sleep (so you don't have nightmares)

Update your apartment with....

• Candles (to create a special occasion any time or for Feng Shui purposes)
• Beautiful art (see my post "Spruce Up Your Space")
• A rack to hang up a week's worth of outfits (the Dollar Store usually has these)
• A plant (to cheer you up and create good energy)
• A yoga mat (even if you don't practice, somebody might invite you to try class with them)
• A rice cooker (nobody likes burned rice)
• A crock pot (dinner will be ready when you get home...1950's housewife not included)

Spruce Up Your Space

I wish there were so many jobs out there that I could use up an entire box of resume paper.  Instead, I'm using it to create cheap, beautiful vintage prints to decorate my office using public domain images from http://vintageprintable.com/wordpress/.  The images are free.  Just print them on thick resume paper and you'll have gorgeous wall art for your apartment.  When you move, you can take them with you in a file folder or recycle them.  Here are some of my favorites: