Back With Intention

The fall semester at UIC has felt like anything but fall. With unbearable humidity and temperatures of high 90s, it still feels like summer. Regardless of the weather, classes have started, the campus is filled, and the homework and studying has already piled up. While many of us are still riding the beginning-of-semester-rush of motivation some people have already begun dragging their feet to and on campus. While I have fallen victim to the motivation crash in the past, I have hope that I’ll be able to avoid it this year. 

This hope comes from the new addition to my daily routine- Corepower Yoga. At the beginning of every session while we’re doing the warmup, the instructor tells us to think about our intention for the day and session. If you don’t have an intention ready or in mind, the instructor will share theirs. Throughout the 45-60 minute class while you’re fighting for your life in the 98-104 degree studio, the instructor will tell you to remember the intention to help ground you. And at the end of the session, when you’ve sweat more than you thought was humanly possible, they’ll have you think of your intention once again. 

I have carried this practice into other parts of my life as well, and with the new semester, my intention list is thorough for school. I hope that all UIC students also have intentions for this school year, but if you don’t, I’ll offer you mine like my instructors.

• I intend to wake up with hope that today has the potential to be the best day of my life.

• I intend to have a slow and meaningful morning filled with calm and affirmations.

• I intend to remain excited and grateful for the opportunity to learn and expand my knowledge of my field.

• I intend to build stronger friendships with those who make equal efforts for me as I do for them.

•  I intend to involve myself in new opportunities with new people in new places.

• I intend to give back to the community that gives so much to me.

• I intend to spend more time talking to my family and learning all of their stories.

• I intend to treat myself with kindness and with grace.

• I intend to go to bed every night knowing that I can always start over again tomorrow morning.

If any of these intentions also resonate with you, I offer you to make them your own and remind yourself of them often. Especially when the days become long and hard, when the schoolwork becomes unbearable, and when your motivation begins to fade out. I hope you carry them with you and remind yourself of them whenever you may need.

Have a great semester, UIC.

Love, Ariana