College can be incredibly stressful and even overwhelming for students.

If the average student’s schedule was a bucket, it would be overflowing with countless activities on numerous to-do lists.

In order to make tranquility a priority, students can attend various yoga classes at the UND Wellness Center.

Yoga Relax, a class primarily based on calming the mind, body and soul is held from 3 to 3:45 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday in room 130. Since this is a level one class, no prior experience is deemed necessary and students are able to attend for free.

On Monday, approximately a dozen participants brought out their yoga mats and prepared for a relaxing experience. Class instructor Roopa Balasubramanian set the mood with soothing music.

She began the session with sitting cross-legged in a tall and direct manner. Balasubramanian then instructed her students to breath in and out of the nose to “cleanse the system, and feel a conscious energy flow.” The 45-minute session taught participants to align their bodies and test their flexibility and ended with a cool-down exercise.

A native of India, Balasubramanian majored in physical therapy and moved to North Dakota where her husband teaches electrical engineering. Balasubramanian began her first job at Valley Central School District, and then decided to teach yoga at UND. Balasubramanian decided to teach yoga because she has been practicing both yoga and Indian Classical dance since a young age.

As a physical therapist, she has also found that yoga is an “alternative, therapeutic form of medicine” used on her patients.

In her opinion, yoga can improve anyone’s physical, mental and emotional health because it is the safest and calmest form of exercise.

For example, frequently active individuals, pregnant women and the physically ill can each perform their own level of yoga.

Balasubramanian’s favorite yoga pose, “the warrior,” truly reflects her thoughts on yoga. The challenging pose makes her feel powerful and strong.

“Not everyone can appreciate the maturity or the spiritual aspects of yoga practice, and that is something to be proud of,” she said. “Understanding one’s own body, meditating, and letting go of distractions do not come easy. They are practiced and learned.”

If students would prefer an alternative yoga session with a higher difficulty level, both Sunrise and Strength Yoga focus on inner flexibility and tonal strength.

Other classes such as Yoga Renivas and Fluid Yoga classes are based on a smoother flow of energy and a continuous sequence of movements.

More information on additional yoga classes can be found on at und.edu/health-wellness/wellness.

Kassidi Andres is a features reporter for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected]