Fitness class series: A beginner student’s review of a PAC De-Stress Yoga Class

Exam season is quickly approaching and as the rush to complete what feels like far too many last-minute final assignments overwhelms us with burnout and anxiety, perhaps purposefully slowing ourselves down can ease the exhaustion and bring us back to the present moment.

Amid our own busy schedules, my friend Catherine McCulloch, a fifth-year honours mathematics student, and I decided it was time to try out a class that promised a soothing and peaceful way to engage in gentle movement. The class description for De-Stress Yoga emphasizes an opportunity to blend flexibility training with guided meditation, alongside self-directed movement throughout. It assured us the key focus would be on reducing stress and “engaging the whole body in joyful movement.”

A quick Google search of “UW group fitness” brings you to the UW Athletics site, where—after signing in with your UW credentials—you can purchase a fitness class membership for the term at a pro-rated price, or opt for a day pass.

At the bottom of the UW Athletics Group Fitness page, you’ll find the weekly fitness class schedule. From there, click the registration link beneath your desired class to sign up and reserve a spot. Participants are required to register ahead of time due to capacity limits. Registration opens seven days before the scheduled class. For the best viewing experience, open the calendar on your phone in “Agenda” mode.

After purchasing our day passes and registering online, we were ready to wrap up the last week of in-person classes and take a break from studying by attending De-Stress Yoga on Friday from 5:00 to 5:50 p.m. at PAC Studio 1. Once inside, we each picked up one of the provided yoga mats and placed them vertically to face the front of the studio. The class size was around 10 participants.

With just our yoga mats needed for the session, we were set for an hour of peaceful movement and meditation. Audrey, the instructor for De-Stress Yoga, eased us into the studio environment. Unlike any other fitness class we’d reviewed to date, this one began in perhaps the most down-to-earth way possible: lying down on our mats. Some curled up, others settled into the classic corpse pose (savasana). Once we found a position that felt safe and comfortable, Audrey invited us to place one hand on our lower abdomen and the other on our heart. With her gentle instruction, we focused on feeling our breath rise in our bellies as we inhaled, and fall as we exhaled. We stayed with this simple belly breathing for some time, also having the option to engage in counted breathwork—often called box or square breathing—mentally counting each inhale, pausing, and exhaling with intention.

Throughout the class, soft instrumental music played in the background—not overpowering or distracting but instead promoting a relaxed, reflective mood. While participants were welcome to engage in gentle movement or asana during meditation, most of us remained still, continuing the guided breathwork. Toward the middle of the class, I noticed my thoughts drifting toward to-do lists and unwritten papers. Audrey gently reminded us that if our minds had wandered, we were encouraged to guide ourselves back—without judgment—to our breath.

Though it was initially challenging to maintain focus on my breathing, I gradually accepted the moment and worked to guide myself back with compassion whenever past concerns or future worries tried to pull me away from the present.

To any student feeling hesitant about trying out the class or incorporating meditation into daily life, the potential benefits might just be worth exploring. A Forbes article on science-backed benefits of meditation lists improved immune function, better memory (ready to ace that bio exam?), enhanced mood regulation (goodbye, end-of-term mood swings), better sleep, greater self-awareness, reduced stress, and even measurable reductions in depression and anxiety.

To wrap up, Catherine and I appreciated the opportunity to slow down our minds and bodies and truly be present during the class. One tip we’d offer future participants: dress a bit more warmly, as the room can get chilly midway through. Overall, as university students living in an endlessly connected digital world, De-Stress Yoga offered us a chance to step away from the noise, recharge, and rediscover a sense of calm that radiates into all corners of daily life and learning.