College is stressful, and finding time for yourself can be hard. Meditation can be a good way to concentrate and relax. Despite how old meditation is, it’s still relevant in current times in which stress is wide-spread and pressure is very high. Using this relaxing technique is very useful. I have had great experiences with meditation. After a long and strenuous day, sometimes it is really difficult to calm down and find an inner balance. Last spring I took my final exams. In Germany, students take their final exams after 13 years of school. The result is called “Abitur” and by graduating, students can transfer to a university. In general, the students start to study some months before the final exams, studying as much as possible. In addition to taking these tests, I had a lot of stress to get my volleyball scholarship, study for other tests that I needed to pass, practicing three times a week and playing matches on weekends. One could say that my private life was almost dead. I couldn’t fall asleep and I felt dizzy, because my brain was full of thoughts, mostly on what I had to do the next day. I was desperate, because I knew how important sleep is to be able to work productively. Without enough sleep, my concentration became lower and lower. I tried to find some distraction to reduce the stress, but nothing helped me relax. When I think about this period of my life now, I know that I overwhelmed myself. It was a crazy experience for me because I came to a point where my body stopped listening to me, even if I wanted to be productive. Luckily, I found a way to cope: Meditation. I rented a book with a CD from the library about meditation. In the beginning it felt a bit ridiculous, but only in the beginning. I followed the instructions in the book: Find a comfortable position (crisscross applesauce); be sure that you are alone in an empty room; make sure that there are no sounds around you. Then the real meditation begins. At first, slow down your own breath. As a next step try to put your whole concentration in just one part of your body. by concentrating, go through all the parts of your body. Your concentration should become better and better. A person feels like they are very close to themselves in these moments. After that, begin some breathing exercises. These can take about 15 minutes. Then slowly come back to awareness or normal breathing patterns. The amount of time it takes to meditate varies from person to person. You have to decide on your own how much time you need to relax and mediate. I felt very positive and surprised by the effects. I could fall asleep much better than before. Also my concentration became more effective. In general, it felt like I had more power for the whole day. I often recommend trying out meditation to people who have a very high stress level. Don´t be worried if it doesn´t work the first time. Meditation is like a sport: a person has to practice it. You will be surprised by the effects, like I have been.