Step one is done!
With OCI applications due this past Monday and interview invitations not due to come out for weeks, there's no better time to take a bit of a mental health break and carve out some "me time."
The recruitment process is exciting and, believe it or not, it's fun. We recognize that it's a time of great anticipation, but also of hard work. From application building to interviews and events, it's undeniably a busy time. Of course, it's also common (and completely normal) to feel anxious, nervous and stressed throughout the process. That's why it's so important to find time, especially in lulls or "dead periods" like these, to relax and de-stress – whatever that means for you! As articling students, we have each been there and we want to share the ways in which we carve out a little “me” time in the midst of it all.
In order to offer some wellness-oriented suggestions, we canvassed our group to see what little thing each of us do to unwind, here were our answers:
Anna Condon: “Calling my mom!”
Samanthea Samuels: “Cooking, watching mindless TV shows (e.g. “The Bachelor”)”
Yonca Umur: “My favorite is to go home and just watch easy TV. My favorites are Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune – they’re not the "hippest” shows (lol, I am clearly someone thoroughly un-hip) but I absolutely watch them every night and they help me de-stress and decompress my mind. I also go out for brunch almost every Sunday. Even if I’m busy, it’s nice to take Sunday mornings to do something social."
Pearl Lee: “Have a good sweaty workout at the gym or hang out with my friends & family and talk about things non-work related.”
Daniel Seidman: “Things can get pretty crazy and fast paced during the interview process so it’s extremely important to make time to slow down during the day. Whether that’s sitting down for a coffee between interviews or just finding a quiet spot to eat your lunch, don’t forget to appreciate that down time and use it as an opportunity to reset and refresh!”
Hassan Rasmi: “Listening to music”
Wes Dutcher-Walls: “For me, my classic evening de-stress is to take a walk down College/Dundas/Queen West and end up somewhere over near Bellwoods Park (an awesome place to watch the sun go down). Usually it’s about the right amount of time to listen to a whole album all the way through on Spotify. Or, if I’m at home, I like to put on a record or NPR’s All Things Considered and cook dinner.”
Alex Murray: “I love putting lavender essential oil in my diffuser, having a cup of tea (mint or chamomile), going to a hot yoga class or baking cookies!”
Sheena Singh: “I liked getting my nails done, hair cut/styled before recruiting – I just felt more put together, confident & ready to attack. Also, on the day of the offers I scheduled a massage at 10am (which I highly recommend) .”
Jon Farine: “The control-alt-delete tea that the Goodmans boardrooms have is super calming. Also, taking a bath or shower as soon as you get home does wonders. Finally - stop everything, close the door, and listen to one really good song on your headphones.”
As you can tell, there's no "right way" to relax. The important thing is to take the time you need to ensure that while you're honouring your obligations - whether they be a heavy course load, interview preparation, a part-time job, or family related - you're also taking care of yourself, which will in turn allow you to engage with each of those obligations with your best self.
We wish you all a great school year! :)
