Notes for Wellness Helps Students Tune In to Mindfulness Ahead of Finals Week
Andrew Kirschner, co-founder of Sonic Connections led students through mindfulness exercises. Photo by Sheridan Speight '25.
Students gathered in the O’Shea Lecture Hall in the Dyson Center on May 6 for an afternoon of music and mindfulness as they prepare for finals in the coming days.
The workshop, hosted by the Student Government Association (SGA) and Andrew Kirschner, co-founder and CEO of Sonic Connections, led students through a series of exercises in which they practiced acknowledging their emotions and how they can align their actions with their values, leveraging music as an immersive tool.
“I think it's so important that students, especially as busy and engaged as Marist students, have a space to pause in their busy schedules and attend an event that encourages them to slow down and reconnect with themselves,” said Student Body President Sheridan Speight ‘25. “It's so easy to overlook wellbeing in stressful times, and this creative, low-pressure environment gives everyone the ability to prioritize their mental health.”
According to a study done by the American College Health Association, within a span of 30 days, 51% of students rated the overall level of stress experienced as moderate, while 27% of students reported high levels of stress. Additionally, 37% of students reported that stress had impeded their academic performance.
Finals can exacerbate those feelings further, with 32% of students reporting experiencing even greater levels of stress in the time surrounding final exams.
Instead of focusing on how to eliminate the stress of daily life, Sonic Connections focuses on teaching students strategies to increase psychological flexibility and supporting individuals to embrace all aspects of the human experience, both the good and the bad.
“I think a lot of times, students are met with the message that if or when they experience stress or anxiety or depression or loneliness, that there’s something broken about them and that the only option available is their counseling center,” said Kirschner. “We really come in trying to normalize that having a stress response to college life is a totally normal thing and that you are not alone in that.”
For Alexa McPadden ‘27, the workshop offered an engaging way to focus her thoughts and assess what is meaningful to her during such a busy time of the year. In addition to the unique integration of music into the exercises, McPadden enjoyed the activity of writing her values on a keychain to carry with her.
“The process of finding values important to us was very meaningful, and the keychain is a great physical reminder to stay focused on what is important to us,” she said. “I already put my keychain onto my lanyard, so it’s something I can have with me to keep me grounded during finals.”
Kirscher ultimately hopes to empower students to navigate and integrate the difficult feelings during challenging times rather than deny their existence, and that the strategies taught in his workshop will translate into lasting habits, behaviors, and goals beyond finals week.
Speight said, “[Andrew] is truly passionate about his work, and I am thrilled to have brought him onto campus as the facilitator for this wonderful event.”