TAKE IT EASY

PHOTO ESSAY

UPbeat photo by Vanessa Guerrero

Distracting to de-stress

THE MODERN WORLD IS repleat with demands and distractions, from classwork to homework to working to pay the bills. Add in the stresses inherent that come with social media and students are frazzled, tired and often simply burned out.

There are many ways to find relief. Some like to engage in exercise, some turn to music, some find comfort in hanging with friends, and some find nothing more soothing than veggng out while binge watching shows on the ever-increasing streaming channels.

Whatever it is, one thing is clear. Whatever one chooses, it is important to find a way to get away and just relax. The world will still be there when you get back.

PAGE 12 • SPRING 2022 Lamar University alumna, Valarie Flores, above left, considers which pawn to move while playing “13 Dead End Drive.” “Board games are my favorite way to bond with people because you learn a lot about people and why they make certain decisions,” she said. “It also helps me release stress by laughing and having fun during any game.” Delicia Rocha, senior film major at Lamar University, laughs tauntingly as she eliminates a player off the board. “I like playing board games because I am always able to create chaos,” she said. “I’m never in it to win, I just want to spice things up.”

UPbeat

UPbeat photo by Clarissa Hernandez

UPbeat

UPbeat photo by Brian Quijada

When Declan Neary, above, has a personal issue going on, he likes to run and zone out. “When you go out on a run and you've got a nice sunny day, or even if it's raining, you know you're on your own,” the York, England junior says. “It's just you and your legs moving.”

Vicky Longoria, left, exercises away her stress at Exygon in Nederland. The Port Arthur junior has had a gym membership for years but she started going consistently last year. She says she tries to go at least five times out the week but it depends on how much school work the biochemistry major has. “I mainly come to the gym to work on myself,” Vicky says. “When I’m stressed I feel it in my shoulders, so I would focus more on arm day and shoulder day.”

SPRING 2022 • PAGE 13

PAGE 14 • SPRING 2021

UPbeat photo by Ginger Kovar

When Alec Defeo wants to relax, he hits the pool table in Newman Catholic Student Center with his friends. The 2020 chemical engineering graduate from Beaumont is now a computing lab specialist in Gray Library. “There’s so many things you can do here — hang out, share about your faith, free lunch on Tuesdays, definitely,” he said. “This place is open to everybody.”

When life gets stressful, music education major Kace Smith, left, steps outside to play saxophone. “It’s kind of like a meditative thing,” he says. “I sit down and just try to learn something new. Maybe it doesn’t go so great, but the journey is fun.”

UPbeat photo, left, by Keagan Smith

UPbeat photo by Reina Morgan

When Alycea Sanders, above, wants to escape the stress of day-to-day life, she participates in Yoga Flow at the Sheila Umphrey Recreational SportsCenter. “Yoga helps me relieve stress because it’s a very soothing activity,” the Houston freshman says. “It helps me wind down and relieve the weight of the world off my shoulders after a long day.”

When Arielle Kickerson, right, isn’t busy with band activities, honors classes and her job, she spends time watching TV shows on Disney+ and Netflix. with a bowl of popcorn and a Dr. Pepper. “It’s more of an occasional pastime when I’m not working on other things,” she said. “It’s one of my favorite pastimes with or friend or by myself.”

UPbeat

UPbeat photo by Maddie Sims

SPRING 2022 • PAGE 15