Strolling through Trinity Prep, the vibrant sounds of school life resonate through the quad, library and study halls. Yet at 6 a.m., the cross country team meets in complete darkness at school. The campus is tranquil, and the only thing runners might hear is the birds chirping or the distant noise of the lawn mower. Junior Liv Gamboa, a cross country runner, has found this a time in her day when she can enjoy the quiet and have time to herself.
“I really like the silence (during my run) because it is peaceful and a change from my normal day-to-day, friends socializing and a loud environment in the normal hours of school, so the silence just gives my mind a break,”Gamboa said.
As she runs around the campus, she has the option to put in her headphones and listen to music, but instead uses the time for herself and takes in the silence.
“I like to reflect on myself and think about the day I have ahead of me and I find the silence very peaceful because I get time for myself,” Gamboa said.
Although time alone can be hard to come by, the benefits that it has, can lead to a more productive and peaceful day.
“The silence in the morning just brings this peacefulness over me, and it carries throughout my day,” Gamboa said.
Silence is a form of self-care that can allow someone to step back from the normal business and find some peace. According to a research article, Psychology Today, people need constant stimulation in order to fill the void of silence and avoid negative experiences with thoughts. Simply, people hate being alone with their thoughts and need to have some kind of entertainment to avoid this. For some, embracing silence can be harder for others. For those in a large family, constant noise is a given, so silence can feel daunting. This is not something that the brain has always done, this is a learned behavior.
“I feel like I can just get things done quickly, with constant noise around me,” sophomore Adam Agresta said.
Students choose to turn to music when they find themselves in a place of quietness. Many students take a study hall as part of their schedule. But most students do not just do their work in the quiet that the study hall provides, they have their headphones in and are working with some kind of noise. Many high schools, including Trinity, generally lack a place of quiet, but when students are given the opportunity to have a quiet time during study hall, they tend to avoid it.
“I think some of it has to do with, especially in our world today, we’re inundated with so much … that we’re not used to existing in silence, and so when we’re forced into it, it’s uncommon and it’s weird,” Psychology teacher Michael Brown said.
Carving out time to embrace silence can be difficult; doing it in small chunks can be a step in the right direction. According to Attain Behavioral Health, spending 10 minutes in solitude can lead to reduced muscle tension, decreased blood pressure, regulated breathing patterns and lower heart rates.
“The best way to become more mindful is
to do five-minute segments,” Brown said. “Set a timer on your phone and just be in silence for five minutes, and whatever happens, happens, and if you find yourself thinking about things, sure, think about them.”
Acknowledge the discomfort in the silence, practice mindfulness and learn how to become peaceful alone. Many people lack the time for self-reflection and process their own thoughts, but by forcing yourself into this, the benefit of having your thoughts under
control will lead you to a calmer, less-stressed mind altogether.
“The idea of clearing your mind is very difficult,” Brown said. “I would encourage people not to, just let their thoughts come, let them roll.”
