Being a teacher, back to school season comes with a lot of stress and quick change of pace that takes from summer chill to intense work mode pretty much overnight. I have thus been looking to ways to help me manage my stress and entertain myself when I have time off. Here are a few things that I’ve been enjoying lately.
Surfaces
I started listening to the band Surfaces on the train, on back to school day, and ever since it has helped me manage my stress on multiple occasions. I love the feel-good vibe of their songs and the positive lyrics. I new their hit Sunday Best, but I find the live version so much catchier than the studio version. I also love Palm Trees, Grace, Learn to Fly, Take it Easy, This View, Let me Know, Heaven Falls/Fall on Meand Keep it Gold. A must listen if you’re going through a rough time or you want to make summer last a bit longer.
Laivi Põder
A few months ago, I stumbled upon the work Laivi Põder, a London-based Estonian artist. Her illustrations are dreamy and a lot of them represent a little house lost in lush nature. They are so whimsical and adorable little invitations to take a few seconds to step away from your busy day and imagine you’re wandering through a blooming field or a napping in a cozy meadow. I think that she has illustrated several books, which I definitely have to get my hands on, although they seem pretty hard to find online.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
Series-wise, I’ve really enjoyed the two seasons of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. As a lover of anything musical-inspired, I could not resist this show. The plot is interesting and moving, the cast is spot-on, and the song selection is just awesome (The cover of Into youby Ariana Grande by the brilliant John Clarence Stewart is far better than the original). If you’ve enjoyed shows like Glee(Hello Alex Newell!) or Crazy Ex-Girlfriendand you’re a fan of Pitch Perfect(Hello Skylar Austin!), you’ll love this! However, it seems like the show has been cancelled and that is making me so sad!
Melissa Wood Health
My biggest challenge with back to school season is to keep working out even when I’m busy and tired. I’ve heard several people talk about Melissa Wood’s workouts on Instagram and I decided to give it a go and by a subscription to her platform. What I love about her videos is that they’re short and yet effective (you’ll feel the burn!). Plus, you need little to no equipment at all. She also provides meditations, which I have not tried yet but I’m excited to.
