“I’ve taught a course called Mindful Choices at Clark University for eight years, so one might think I would have had a consistent meditation practice before now.”

Jessica Bane Robert, director of prestigious fellowships and scholarships, makes this admission at the start of her contribution to “The COVID-19 pandemic has inspired new health habits for these 4 scholars — here’s what they put into practice and why,” published this week on the online news site The Conversation. The article also includes short essays from scholars at Purdue University, the University of Virginia, and Iowa State University.

Bane Robert writes about her new commitment to daily meditation and the positive results of her 10-minute sessions: lower blood pressure, less focus on negative thoughts, and improved focus and “working memory.” She also shares research about the impact meditation can have on prejudice and bias, and suggests mobile apps that can help people stick to their meditation goals.

In Mindful Choices, a half-semester course, students examine and reflect on a number of questions, including “What holds my attention, and calls for me to explore it further? What do I enjoy, and what do I care most about? Where do I find a sense of meaning and purpose? How do my interests and concerns relate to the choices I am making in my education?” The students engage in visual arts, music, and creative writing as they consider their paths of study and consciously commit to the direction of their academic journeys. Learn more in “Clark campus embraces mindfulness and meditation” on ClarkNow.