how to deal with stress

I once asked a friend of mine, who is a doctor, what is the main issue to consider if you wanna live healthily. He did not hesitate a second, but categorically replied: 'Avoid stress!'

Stress has become a very common expression. Seen from its medical context, I believe that still many of us have no idea what stress really means. I have experienced both sides of a classroom: I have spent years at the desk as a student, and I have spent a few years teaching as well. Neither of these roles is freed from potential stress. As a teacher, there's so much you have to deal with, whereas students mainly see the "peak of the iceberg", which is the teaching as such. Teaching means leading a minor enterprises with sometimes striking employees! :)

Students too, can experience stress. A high pressure, caused by exams, teachers or expectations of parents, can lead into very stressful situations. As for me, I estimate that factors of this sort abound. Furthermore, stress does not merely come from outside, but also from inside. Often I realised that most stress was caused by my mind. To see abundant assignments and meetings on a diary it's not quite relaxing. Facing a schedule squeezed of tasks is what usually bothers me a lot more than the tasks themselves!!

Weekend No. 9

This weekend was quite a busy one; on Friday I went with my classmate Yasemin to watch the movie "Elisabeth - The Golden Age". This movie is currently in the cinemas here in Vancouver. Much as the movie was impressive, I still prefered the original one about Queen Elisabeth. I couldn't help thinking that some sequences targetted on staggering artistic images rather than historical truth. But still, it was worth the money, for sure.


On Sunday we went to the Vancouver Aquarium in the Stanley Park. As I didn't expect too much, a surprise was almost garanteed. There's a wide range of sea creatures exposed. It really is impressive. You keep asking yourself: so, that's what we know. And what is it that we don't know yet? There further were beluga whales, dolphins, sea lions and seals. Thanks to informations near the vitrine I learnt how to distinguish a sea lion from a seal.

On Monday I attended a concert of the Vancouver Symphony. They played the Violin Concerto of Tschaikovsky. It was fabulous. I'm short of words to describe what it was like. A only 19 years old talent, born in Vancouver, performed the solo. This piece of music once was reputed unplayable! :) I conclude that it is playable, indeed. At least for some talents. This too, did worth the money!


All in all, the weekend was shamelessly expensive, yea.