In this current high-performance, high-stress environment, we know that being young or “still just a student” doesn’t preclude you from being stressed. It can be challenging to find yoga classes for teens or yoga on campus – classes that are convenient to get to, fit into your schedule, and above all, that motivate you to keep going!
There are countless benefits of yoga – and even more articles expounding these benefits. In this article, we’re looking at the specific benefits of yoga for teens and uni students.
- The teenage and young adult years are times of huge change.
You change schools, take on new subjects, new teachers, new friends. You go to college or university in a new city. You move from home, to student accommodation, to a shared house. What’s cool (fleek!?) this week may be no longer next week.
With your external environment in constant flux, it can be dizzyingly hard to find your own identity, to live comfortably and happily in your own skin. Your yoga practice can help you find that little bit of space for yourself among the craziness. It doesn’t have to be intense – just consistent. Something you can keep going back to each week, and each time you’re feeling unsettled, ungrounded or lost in the melee.
When you come to a yoga class, it’s all just about being you as you are here and now – with no pressure from external standards or circumstances. It can be a real welcoming place to be, a private, safe haven just for you.
- School/college is when you meet and make friends for life. Yoga helps you be more open-minded and inclusive and get along better with others.
You learn to recognize negative thoughts, and to put space between those thoughts and your reactions. You practice kindness towards yourself, and in turn find yourself being kinder to others. You learn to listen to your body and your own internal wisdom, and so are able to acknowledge and respect the feelings and boundaries of others, too.
Getting along with everyone helps create a more positive environment where learning is fun and enjoyable. The notion of a peaceful, shared practice extends from your yoga class, to working together on project papers and helping each other get on track for exams.
- School/college can be hectic and sometimes stressful. Yoga can be your life barometer to keep a check on this.
We’ve borrowed the term “life barometer” from this article by MindBodyGreen. It’s a great metaphor, because just as a barometer measures atmospheric pressure, your yoga practice can be the measure of how much pressure, or stress, you’re under off the mat.
You start by making a commitment to how much you want to practice. This can range from attending yoga classes if you’re brand new and not quite sure how to practice on your own, to rolling out the mat for self-practice every morning/evening.
This commitment is your promise to invest in your own wellbeing by actively managing stress and getting a great workout to boot! Whenever you notice yourself slacking off from your yoga schedule, it’s a warning signal that stuff is happening off the mat that may be shifting you off-track. It’s important to stay aware of this balance between your commitments to schoolwork, sport, social life, etc. – and your commitment to looking after yourself.
We know consistent yoga classes on a student budget can be tricky. To help get you started, we’ve got great yoga offers for students. Our yoga student discounts include a great deal on monthly unlimited yoga for full time students and a 10 class pass valid for 12 weeks for full time students (£55) and Under 18’s (£50) Also the perfect gift for that highly-strung housemate/sibling/child. 😉