Published: April 22, 2010

Stress: A six-letter word that consumes the month’s time from now until finals week. According to WebMD.com, our bodies are actually “designed to experience stress and react to it.” However, stress that continues over a long period of time can actually cause your body to enter a state of “distress,” which leads to symptoms such as headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain and problems sleeping.  If this describes exactly what you’re going through, don’t worry! Here are some inexpensive ways to relieve stress before you’re in distress!

1) Free Yoga
Getting There: Located on 27th Street between  Sixth and Seventh Avenues, hop on the 1 train and you will be there in 15 minutes.
Web site: http://yogatothepeople.com

Yoga has long been associated with releasing bad karma while entering your mind and body into a state of Zen. Yoga to the People offers yoga classes seven days a week for a suggested donation of $10, but their Web site makes it clear that their goal is to make yoga affordable for everyone, so just donate what you can. Classes are designed to challenge advanced yoga students while also catering to beginners’ needs as well.

2) Walk some shelter doggies!
Getting There: Take the A train to 14th Street, then the L train to Bedford Avenue.  It’s worth the trip!
Web site: http://www.barcshelter.org/

Yes, animals are great stress relievers! While many NYC shelters insist that you be 21 to walk their precious pooches, BARC in Williamsburg will take all the help they can get (despite what it says on their Web site). Morning shifts are every day from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and evening shifts are from 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

3) Be one with Nature
Getting There: Take the B or D to the Bedford Park Blvd. station, then take the Bx 26 bus east to the garden’s Mosholu Gate entrance.
Web Site: http://www.nybg.org/

For just $3 with your student ID, you can stroll through the New York Botanical Gardens, a beautiful flower haven with green grass and plenty of benches, which is located right near Fordham’s Rose Hill campus. Take some time to stop and smell the roses!

4) Go to the Zoo!
Getting there:  For the Central Park Zoo, walk east to Fifth Avenue, then up to 64th Street. You can’t miss it! For the Bronx Zoo, take the 2 train to East Tremont Ave/West Farms Square.  Walk straight ahead to Boston Road two and a half blocks to the Zoo’s Asia gate entrance.
Web site: http://www.centralparkzoo.com/animals-and-exhibits.aspx
http://www.bronxzoo.com/

Central Park is just a short walk from Fordham, and there are all kinds of creatures to see; $10 gets you in to see lions, tigers and bears (oh my!). Get in touch with your inner child and head over to the children’s petting zoo, where super friendly alpacas and sheep will let you scratch behind their ears. Want to go to the zoo for free? The Bronx Zoo is by donation only on Wednesdays!