In this particularly stressful time of year, various groups on campus are organizing events oriented around self-care, some of which include inviting visiting speakers to bring their perspectives to the topic. On Wednesday, Pittsburgh-based Rabbi Shais Taub was invited to Oberlin by Chabad to offer insights on creating a healthy environment within one’s own mind, and ignoring that which distracts you from your purpose. Rabbi Taub, a scholar, teacher, and author who NPR has referred to as “an expert in Jewish mysticism and the Twelve Steps,” provides spiritual guidance to people facing stressful situations in their lives. After studying at the Central Lubavitch Yeshiva in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, he combined his relig...

This week not only ushers in a slew of students stressing over midterms but also signals that Oberlin is about to begin its annual descent into the unending bleakness of winter. Especially at a college with such a geographically diverse student body, the emotional shock of this cold can be unforgiving to those unaccustomed to it. While many may feel affected by the change in weather, most of them will grow used to it after a while. Some of them, however, will not. These students suffer from seasonal affective disorder, also known as seasonal depression, a very real condition that most people don’t realize or believe exists. Attitudes toward seasonal depression — and depression in general — often reflect indifference...

It’s officially finals period in Oberlin. Students have tons of work to do and not much time to do it. Many people simply accept the fact that they’re going to be stressed out in college. Students don’t fully know how stress can affect them and how easy it can be to combat. I want to explain the stress response from a biological perspective, emphasize the importance of stress reduction and discuss ways to reduce stress during finals period. First off, why does stress exist? What possible evolutionary advantage could being stressed out about a biochemistry exam provide to humans? The acute stress response is a good thing for the body, increasing blood flow to critical organs like the brain and muscles so they...