Scholar-Journalist of the Week: Mental Health Awareness month: How to de-stress your mind and body

Student of Apeejay College of Fine Arts (ACFA), Khayti Mahajan is a keen person who is always up for expanding her horizon of thoughts as much as she can from anything she observes. “Creative activities are what I love getting involved in,” emphasises the B. Com student. So besides writing, music and singing are also an integral part of her life alongwith spending some time with plants. In an interview, the 21-year-old Jalandhar girl talks about her write-up – ‘Mental Health Awareness month: How to de-stress your mind and body’?

Why did you choose to write on this topic?

I feel people around us are still not aware of how a person’s mental health has an effect on him/her – be it positively or negatively. There could be no better opportunity to contribute my bit on this topic other than in the mental health awareness month itself.

Why do you think it’s important to de-stress one’s mind and body? Suggest four ways how to do so? 

I believe ‘stress’ has become a normal word for us to include it in our daily conversations. We have so much going on in our lives that it nearly becomes impossible to face every situation with a peaceful mind. Thus, it becomes very important to de-stress our mind and try measures to control it. Some ways to curb stress include living a good lifestyle (like including balanced meal portions and a proper sleep cycle), practising meditation and feeling of  gratitude. In addition, getting involved in any kind of physical activity can help us deal with stressful time periods.

In fact, young learners from schools and colleges take a lot of stress these days. How do you think they can avoid the same? 

I feel it’s essential for us that we help our younger ones get aware about the negative effects of unhealthy food, social media addiction, lack of exercise, toxic friends, disrupted routine and excessive screen time. And so, to have a healthy mind they should know when to limit themselves and refrain from forming these unhealthy habits.

What are your stress management strategies?

At times when I feel anxious and stressed, I try to talk about what I feel with my family. Journaling is another activity I rely on during any such time.  I also practice dance as it helps me feel relieved. 

Do you read books or watch videos on stress management? 

Not on a regular basis. But yes reading books and watching specific videos do help me relax my mind.

When did you start writing? What was your first piece and what inspired you? What does writing mean to you?

To be honest, I don’t exactly remember when I started admiring putting words on paper but as long as I can remember I’ve never shied away from expressing what I feel by writing my thoughts down. Writing has and will always remain a way to set my mind free and to put forth my views in front of others.

What kind of books do you like to read? Any favourite author? 

I try my hands on different genres whenever I read. Of late, I haven’t been able to read books but I hope I will start again soon. J.K Rowling and Roald Dahl’s books will always be close to my heart.

Any topic you are currently working on? 

No, I’m not working on any topic at the moment. I prefer to take some time and provide a better piece of writing eventually with what all I observe

What is your future aspiration after completing your education from Apeejay?

I would like to continue my studies by pursuing a master’s degree in the same field of commerce or other related fields. While I will be exploring different options, I’d like to study something which helps me apply my knowledge in the practical world.

Any key learning you have adapted through writing?

Although I try to be as accurate as I can be in grammar and punctuation, I’ve learnt through both reading and writing that what matters is the beautiful thought behind a piece of writing and not just the accuracy of grammatical rules.