Mindful Mondays From a Student’s Perspective 

Over the past weeks, the Covid-19 virus has changed the world socially and physically.  Closure of schools, shops, and distancing guidelines have been put in place to make sure that everybody was staying away from one another and keeping healthy. 

Personally, the closure of schools has been something unusual, but not very hard to adjust to. I find virtual learning from home to be challenging at times, but I am able to manage it.  As we are coming to a close of the 2019-2020 school year through virtual learning, I feel that Mindful Mondays, an added addition to the Nutley Public Schools, have been very helpful. 

Mindful Mondays are something that takes place every Monday in June where the students are encouraged to either do makeup work or take part in an activity related to academic wellness, do something for their overall health (emotional, mental, or physical), give back to others, learn about something new/skill, take a virtual tour, go on a virtual field trip, and/or learn about a career.  These days, students are allowed to pick something and then fill out a Google Form about what they did that day and if they found it helpful.  Teachers can set up meetings through Google Meet so students can go to them for guidance if they are struggling in that certain subject. 

On Mindful Mondays, I find the most useful and helpful thing to do is catch up on any work and also focus on my health.  Some activities that I have completed include practicing meditation, going for a run, calling relatives, and taking a virtual field trip.  I have noticed how useful and helpful these Mondays are because they help let the mind rest for a day through all of the hecticness going on in the world at the moment.  

Making sure that all students, teachers, and staff are staying healthy and happy during this time is something very important.  I feel that Mindful Mondays allow us all to have a chance to breathe and relax through all of the chaos with work, being stuck inside and any other personal issue happening at home. 

To me Mindful Mondays were a success and are very helpful and I feel that this should somehow also be incorporated into the regular school year so that the students can have a day or class period during the week where they can relax and not feel overwhelmed with the work they are being given.