Stress Relief & Intellectual Wellness at the Drexel Libraries

Balancing a schedule of classes, schoolwork, and deadlines can be stressful.  It is important to take care of yourself when you are stressed out. 

Taking a break to rest and recharge can be very helpful.  According to the American Psychological Association, self-care is defined as, "activities or behaviors that enhance mental, emotional, and/or physical health and well being." 

Whether your self-care activity is doing a puzzle, going for a walk, taking a nap, coloring, painting, listening to music, dancing around your room, or talking to a friend-- self-care is an important tool for taking care of yourself.  If you are feeling stressed out, a self-care activity can help you to feel calmer and more centered.

• Cards Against Humanity, Virtual Edition: All Bad Cards is a site that lets you create a virtual game room so you can play the popular card game online with friends, no matter how far apart you may be. For a better experience, host a group audio call or a Zoom room while you play!
   
• Playingcards.io is a digital take on some iconic board and card games. Now, you can play classics like Checkers, Go Fish, Crazy Eights, and more without having to shuffle the deck yourself!
   
• Skribbl.io is like online Pictionary – you have 80 seconds choose a word and visualize whatever you pick, and the faster someone guesses your drawing the more points they get!
   
• Free Rice is a multiple-choice game with a mission – for every right answer, you help the World Food Programme to donate 10 grains of rice to families in need. They have several categories to choose from, including vocabulary, geography, science, and more. 
   
• Visit Jigsaw Explorer to play a variety of online jigsaw puzzles without having to wonder whether or not you lost a piece somewhere.
   
• Puzzles, Mind Games & Optical Illusions to Get Your Brain Working includes many different brain teasers, riddles, puzzles, and even optical illusions that challenge your visual perception. 

Make Some Art

Take a break and express your creativity and relieve stress with detailed and fun coloring pages. Here are some links to free coloring pages. All you need are some colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

• Color in between (or outside) of the lines with printable coloring pages:
  • Put your own spin on famous works of art,
  • Create a nature-inspired masterpiece,
  • De-stress with these pages designed for art-therapy, meditation, and relaxation,
  • Or pick whatever draws your attention from this selection!

Origami

Students can express their creativity and relieve stress by manipulating origami paper into fun and unique designs. If you don't have origami paper at home, you can make some using 8.5 x 11 printer paper.

These websites have step-by-step instructions and videos of how to make origami:

• Origami Instructions
• 10 Simple Origami Projects for Beginners
• Easy Origami for Beginners

DIY Stress Ball

Make your own stress ball with four or fewer supplies that you'll likely already have around the house! This tutorial teaches you how to turn a balloon into a handheld stress relief toy.