Meditating in Class and Study Spots Around Campus

March 27, 2017

When I chose the classes that I wanted to take to study abroad, I purposefully chose ones that were outside of my comfort zone; i.e. non-science classes. One of these classes is Buddhist Philosophy, which I have mentioned in one of my previous blogs. This class is taught by a retired professor with an extensive collection of adventures under his belt: meditator, restaurant owner, world traveler, to name a few. Not only does he practice what he preaches, but he also teaches the class in a nontraditional way, in terms of this day and age. No electronics are allowed in the lecture, and no notes can be taken either electronically or by hand during the lecture. At first this was incredibly difficult for me to handle, but I’ve found that the structure of the lecture allows me to pay more attention and digest what the teacher is saying, which is completely different from how it usually is when I’m frantically trying to type everything that the professor says verbatim. In terms of content, this class has taught me many interesting things about the Buddhist practices including meditation, mindfulness, the effects of karma, and reincarnation. Meditating in class is a common occurrence which allows me to destress, relax, and refresh.

There are many wonderful places to study comfortably around campus, as well, depending on the type of studying you are into. When I want more structured and controlled studying to get done I will head to either the Media Learning Center (MLC), or the campus library, where there are tables and desks at which I can sit down and plug into. When I want to do more relaxed studying, like reading, I will head to one of the buildings where there are coaches I can read comfortably in. basically, there are study spots to fit your study needs, and these different places are all my favorites depending on the type of study mood I’m in.

Claire Celestin

I am a premedical student interested in pursuing medical school after I obtain my undergraduate degree, and in my past few years at Northeastern University, it seems that I have gotten stuck in a routine of sorts. My days consisted of classes, volunteering, and studying in Snell library until I could not hold my eyes open anymore. Although all of this studying did allow me to maintain a high GPA, I have begun to feel trapped. Growing up, I had always dreamt of traveling, exploring, and immersing myself in different cultures and ways of living. I wanted to join the Peace Corps, build houses with Habitat for Humanity, and volunteer as a medical provider in impoverished countries. These are all things that I still want to do. My post graduate plans all point towards medical school and becoming a health care provider where I intend to serve not only those in the United States, but most importantly those areas where good doctors and health care are hard to come by. I believe that this study abroad opportunity will be a stepping stone into my future of world travel. I intend to take advantage of every opportunity that is presented to me while I am abroad. I will say yes to sky diving, snorkeling, and hiking into beautiful sunsets. In between all of that I will also try not to scream when facing Australia’s notorious gigantic spiders. I hope to travel around Australia every chance that I get, take surfing lessons, wake up in time for the sunrises on the Gold Coast, and still ace all of my exams. I intend to say yes to all of these experiences and more and upon my return I then want to share my experience with other students like myself. I want to show other students like me, who are afraid to push the rigid boundaries of pre medical studies that it is okay to take a break from the pressures that they have set upon themselves.