Mindful Studying Tips From a Delaware School Counselor
Danielle Litterelle
Meditation and breathing exercises can’t tackle your to do list, but they can help you calm down and center you to start again.
Here are some wellness tips to help you slow down and do your best as you approach mid-terms or finals.
Start with the right mindset by making a plan and organizing your workspace. Create a study calendar and start with the most difficult tasks first.
Step away from your studying. Be sure to give yourself breaks and incentives. It’s best to take a 10 minute break for every hour that you study.
Release stress with the power of music. Music, 60 seconds per beat, can cause the brain to synchronize with the beat and make you more focused. While studying, listen to light music in the background or grab your headphones. Give it a try with music by Mozart or Bach.
Turn off your phone. It is tempting to check your phone, but keep it out of reach.
Healthy routines make a difference in stress levels. In addition to getting a good night’s sleep (8-10 hours), make sure you eat a good breakfast the morning of the exam too.
If you are feeling tense and unable to relax, here are two great breathing exercises to help you calm your body and ease your mind:
Deep belly breathing
Start by breathing in through your nose. Draw the air into your belly rather than your chest.You can put your hands lightly on your stomach so you can be aware of your belly rising and falling. Breathe out through your mouth at least two-to-three times as long as you inhale. Be sure to relax your neck and shoulders. Repeat.
5-5-5 Breathing
Inhale very slowly through your nose for five seconds: 1-2-3-4-5. Exhale very slowly through your nose or mouth for five seconds: 1-2-3-4-5. Wait for five seconds: 1-2-3-4-5. Repeat the process three more times.
If you are interested in more mindfulness and relaxation techniques, download: Headspace, Calm, or Insight Timer.
Thanks to WFS MS/US Counselor Danielle Litterelle for her contributions to this article.
Seventh grade Chinese students visited Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library to learn more about its Chinese wallpaper and book collection, helping the students gain valuable insight into Chinese history and culture.
WFS Middle and Upper School Learning Resources Coordinator Stella Mask recently presented to a packed house at the MCRC@ADVIS (Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools) DEIJB Conference.
Congratulations to sophomores Easton Martinenza, Teagan Grubb, and Decker Reitemeyer for earning spots in this summer's prestigious Delaware Governor's School for Excellence (DGSE) Program.
WFS 6th and 7th graders recently traveled in their service groups to different locations: the Delaware Food Bank; Faithful Friends Animal Society; Guardian Angels Daycare; Rockland Place Assisted Living; the Materials Resource Center in Ephrata, Pennsylvania; and Alapocas State Park.
The end-of-year senior traditions have begun, with the Class of 2025 signing the Senior Scroll and receiving their WFS laundry bag. This tradition has been a part of the senior class spring for more than 25 years!
Congratulations to our IB Art and Visual Arts Major students, who welcomed friends and family to the opening of their exhibition, showcasing works from the portfolios they have developed over the past two years.
From St. Louis to Boston, our College Guidance team is on the move! Director Kathleen Martin connected over lunch with Aaron Hockstein ’24 and Devin Wallace ’24 at Washington University in St. Louis, and with Nick Winchell ’24 at Hampden-Sydney College, while Associate Director Rose Gnade caught up with Alex Saville ’21 at Gettysburg College. We love seeing our alumni and supporting our current students on their college journeys!
The WFS Model UN Club, accompanied by faculty advisor Nick Childers, recently sent a delegation of four students to the Tower Hill Model UN Conference.
WFS Lower School assistant and associate teachers participated in a professional development retreat at Pendle Hill last week, focused on deepening instructional practice and strengthening team collaboration.
Last night, WFS honored the Class of 2025 International Baccalaureate Diploma candidates during the annual Celebration of Scholarship. Each student delivered a 3–5 minute presentation reflecting on their growth through the program’s core components: Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS), and the Extended Essay. The evening highlighted the depth of thought, dedication, and inquiry that define the IB experience at Wilmington Friends School.
Megan Hegenbarth’s Quakerism class took a mindful journey into Alapocas Woods with middle school Spanish teacher Laura Pardo ’90, who studied forest immersion on her sabbatical earlier this year. Guided sensory exercises—listening to rustling leaves, feeling tree bark, noticing the movement of water—helped students support their well‑being by connecting with the present moment, their natural surroundings, and themselves.
Congratulations to our community members who shared their talents at this week's Informal Concert! This concert is designed to showcase the talent of our students, parents, and faculty in an informal, yet serious, chamber concert or recital format.
We were honored to have award-winning slam poet and author Andre Bradford visit all three divisions at WFS! Through his "On Purposeful Empathy" programming, Andre stresses the importance of empathy, vulnerability, and the power of storytelling. He encouraged students to find strength in their own voices and embrace the impact of their own stories.
8th grade Chinese students recent visited Le Shio restaurant in Wilmington to practice their Chinese speaking skills and to learn how to order food in a restaurant!
Rick Grier Reynolds, who created the Global Peace and Justice course at WFS, returned today with Brian Winward, a returned citizen and long-time AVP facilitator, to discuss the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) with 9th grade students.
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Wilmington Friends School admits students of any race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of these schools. Wilmington Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.