Virtual 5K & May Events

On Sunday, May 3rd, the Wellness Initiative will be hosting a Virtual 5K to raise funds for the Helen Wilkinson Student Emergency Fund. There is a suggested donation of $10 to participate. Donate here.

Join us for Wellness Events during the first week of May! Dr. Cornish, resident Albany Law counselor, will be giving exam tips on 5/5 via Zoom. Dean Queenan, Olivia, and Carly will be hosting a show and tell for the children of students, staff, and faculty on 5/6 at noon. On 5/6 at 5:30 pm, Rugby and the Wellness Initiative will be co-hosting a CardioYoga class! NOTE: Dr. Cornish is also still available for private sessions via Zoom. Contact him to arrange a time if you are in need.

As always, contact Olivia, Carly, or Dean Queenan with any questions or concerns!

Sharp Knives Aren’t Only for Chefs – Law Students Need Them Too

By Nicholas Wall, 2L

“Sometimes you have to sharpen the knife to keep cutting.” It is a simple concept, really. To cut something, you have to have a sharp knife. No sharp knife, no cutting. In a less metaphoric sense, sometimes you have to take some time to relieve stress or do something fun, in order to continue producing your best work.

I heard it first from my girlfriend’s dad, a NJ lawyer who specializes in family law. “If you wake up and only live, breathe, and speak law school, you’re going to go crazy,” he said to me when I was stressed about potentially missing an entire Saturday of schoolwork in order to play in a rugby game. However, I don’t think he expected me to take the saying to heart as much as I have. Now more than ever we need to have a sharp knife. As Meghna pointed out in an earlier post, many of us have personal goals and expectations; and with the semester coming to a screaming, fiery, NASCAR-highlights level end, we need to have the sharpest knife possible to achieve those goals.

Now, everybody has different ways that they destress or have fun, so I won’t try to make an all-inclusive list. I asked around what people do and thought I would pass along what they said:

  1. Watch a new show. Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming sites are a law student’s kryptonite. However, if you’re able to do so in moderation, watching an episode of a new show while you eat or right before bed could be perfect.
  2. Get outside (respect the distancing). Getting outside when the weather’s nice and doing something you like to do will do wonders for your sanity. Personally, I thought this would be a great time to work on my rugby kicking. But if rugby isn’t your thing, (as it should be) go for a small hike, bike ride, or take a minute to work on your golf swing.
  3. Schedule Zoom meetings with friends. Just because we can’t physically hang out with our friends, doesn’t mean we can’t see them. Finding the time when everybody has a bit of free time to schedule a virtual hang out and catch up is an excellent way to destress.
  4. Watch a live music show or Broadway musical. In the wake of the shutdown there are a ton of channels popping up on YouTube that are offering free live shows or concerts from past performances.
  5. Read. No seriously, some people like to do that outside of law textbooks. Wind down at the end of the day, go outside (see above), or just take a few minutes to pick up that book that’s been waiting for you.
  6. Stay active. Doing yoga, running, lifting heavy things like taking out the trash, playing with your dog, these are just a few ways to continue to stay active. It is proven that keeping up with being active will mean you have a better ability to recall information when needed. This is essential for the end of the semester.

Again, this is not meant to be the end-all list. If there is something that is your go to for when you need a break, do that! Continue keep your eye on the goal, but remember, sometimes you have to sharpen the knife in order to keep cutting!

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day, everyone! Even though we are social distancing, it is still a beautiful day to get outside and enjoy all of nature’s beauty within our reach. Find a new nature spot you’ve never explored, drive to a picturesque view near you, or simply sit outside and breathe in some fresh air. Now more than ever, it’s so important to get outside, even just for a short walk. Here is a list of ways to celebrate Earth Day while social distancing from the Green Living Blog: https://askhrgreen.org/50-ways-to-celebrate-earth-day-during-social-distancing/.

Join the Albany Law Charity Miles Team and log your Earth Day exercise while giving back to a great cause!