Five ways to be young, wild and free

Remember being a little kid and wanting to be grown up so you could do all the cool grown-up stuff? Now we look back at times, wanting to be a kid again, with no worries and responsibilities.

Well, changing time may be beyond our control, but this Stress Awareness Month, we are taking a lesson from our younger self in pursuit of a more care-free outlook.

Blow bubbles

Party bags from friends’ birthday parties were one of the best things as a kid, especially if they contained bubbles! This month, grab a tube of bubbles to help ease anxiety. The deep breathing required to blow bubbles is a great relaxation technique. It forces us to stop what we’re doing and focus on our breath, just like a relaxation class. Plus, whether you’re 7, 17 or 37, bubbles are fun! It’s the best 50p you’ll spend this month!

Dance like nobody’s watching

Confined to the house in lockdown needn’t be boring. Put on your favourite music and dance like nobody’s watching. Dancing is great exercise and can burn around 700 calories in an hour. Plus, it releases endorphins (those feel-good chemicals in the brain). Studies have found that dancing for just five minutes can boost happiness improve creative-thinking patterns. There isn't anyone to witness your moves, so do what comes naturally.

29th April is International Dance Day 2021. Why not check out our fun dance competition later on this month.

Eat popping candy

If you visit the College's Wellbeing or Safeguarding teams, you will often see a sweet bowl of popping candy on their desk. They don't sit around eating sweets all day, they use it as a mindfulness technique to reduce stress. Popping candy focusing on the five senses as this is the only thing you are thinking about for the next couple of minutes.

Explore nature

Exploring the woods, searching for butterflies and ladybirds. Playing explorer was great when we were little, and it can be when we’re older, too. You don’t have to get your hands dirty (unless you want to!); simply tune in to nature on your next walk or bike ride, noting the plants, animals, insects and birds that you see. Tuning in to nature can relieve stress and anxiety, as research into ecotherapy shows.

Bounce

Back to kids’ birthday parties and another great stress reliever: a bouncy castle. Remember how fun it was to jump all afternoon, carefree and elated. It boosts bloodflow, loosens the muscles, and makes us feel good. Don’t worry about having to hire a bouncy castle or waiting to be invited to your small cousin’s next birthday, trampolines will do the job, and if you don’t want to invest, then Bounce Fitness classes are the next best thing. Scientific studies by NASA have reported on the benefit of rebound exercise, and if it’s good enough for the astronauts...

What are some of your favourite memories of being a child, young and carefree? What activities did you enjoy then that you would love to be able to do now (aside from consuming endless calories and not putting on any weight)? Let us know.