I've fallen into a bit of a routine lately.
Because I’m working full-time on a co-op term, I've adopted a 9 am to 5 pm, 5 days a week lifestyle. My alarm goes off at the same time every day, I get home around the same time, and I try to go to bed at a reasonable hour. It’s nice to have a routine, but also…dull?
Sometimes I don’t leave my desk for 8 hours, except to microwave my lunch and maybe grab an emergency 1 pm coffee. So when Thrive week came along, I took a look at their events and decided to spend my lunch break doing something slightly different.
Enter Knitting with Neil.
Neil Armitage, a Sociology prof and Learning Strategist with the Centre for Student Involvement and Careers, hosted this low-key event in IKBLC. Himself a novice knitter, Neil was sporting a multicoloured hat that he had impressively knit himself.
Like everyone else on this campus, I’m a busy person, so I couldn’t stay too long in this comfy nook, practicing my knit and purl stitches. But despite my best efforts, time slipped by and I found myself staying for a full hour.
The event was small, cozy, and was made even better by hot chocolate and tasty treats. Populated by a mix of faculty, staff, and students, it was a nice pause from my otherwise hectic day and a great way to break my routine.
It can be easy to forget, but simple tasks and activities can have great health benefits. Knitting, for example, can improve concentration and relieve stress. With exam season almost upon us, final papers due any day, and other deadlines looming, taking breaks from it all is essential.
But it doesn’t have to be knitting. It can be a walk with a friend to Wreck Beach on a windy day or a game of Scrabble on a Thursday. It’s important to relax, take a breath, and do something inconsequential.
