Wellness at ASU Library
Sharing wellness resources and activities for students to do in times of stress, especially around Finals Week!
Why Take a Break?
Whenever there's a looming deadline, a difficult research question, or a frustrating assignment, it may seem counter-intuitive to step away from it and take a break. However, taking a break can actually help you in the long run! Taking breaks lets you refocus on what you need to do, reduces your stress levels and improves your recall of information. Breaks can also boost your mood and energy levels.
A break is not the same as procrastination. Procrastination occurs purposefully since tasks are avoided for longer time periods, leading to stressful outcomes. Breaks can align with your study sessions (between 5 to 60 minutes depending on need and activity). Instead of only scrolling through social media posts or videos on your phone or laptop, find activities that allow you to zone out, express creativity, move around and show mindfulness on what you need. Some activities include socializing with others, having snacks or small meals, stretching, doing something creative or playing games.
In addition to these activities, click on the tabs to discover more resources and ideas for brain breaks, and see where you can take a break at ASU Library.
Works consulted
Learning Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (n.d.). Taking breaks. Retrieved from https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/taking-breaks/
Mishra, G. (2020, May 9). Benefits of taking breaks during studying: How rest can improve your focus and retention. [Post]. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/benefits-taking-breaks-during-studying-how-rest-can-improve-cover?trk=portfolio_article-card_title
The Wellbeing Thesis. (n.d.). The importance of taking breaks. Retrieved from https://thewellbeingthesis.org.uk/foundations-for-success/importance-of-taking-breaks-and-having-other-interests/
Take A Break With...
"Cassette tape clipart, retro music illustration," rawpixel.com, CC0 License.
"Cleaning products," rawpixel.com, CC0 License.
- 7 Spring Cleaning TipsProvided by the University of Colorado Boulder's Health and Wellness Services and written for both student and family audiences, this piece shares tips for tackling cleaning tasks in one's living space, as well as the benefits of cleaning for physical and mental well-being.
- Decluttering and Mental HealthThis Verywell Mind article reveals the connections and benefits of cleaning and decluttering on mental health. It also explores the negative impacts of clutter and over-compulsive cleaning. Cited sources are provided for further reading.
- The College Student's Guide to CleaningProvided by the American Cleaning Institute, this comprehensive resources includes checklists for moving into dorms (or new living units), conquering chores (alone or with roommates), doing laundry, and treating various types of stains on various surfaces. Infographics with cleaning statistics are also provided.
Multiple colored pencils 07.jpg from Wikimedia Commons by Jonatan Svensson Glad, CC-BY-SA 4.0
- Free Printable Adult Coloring PagesStep into our gallery of adult coloring pages, filled to the brim with intricate zentangles, charming doodles, motivational quotes, and even some seasonal gems to keep you engaged throughout the year.
- Just Color: Coloring Pages for Adults and KidsDiscover our free complex coloring pages for adults and kids to download in PDF or to print: various themes, artists, difficulty levels and styles.
- Print It FreeTake a break from the doldrums of everyday life and tap into your inner artist…these creative and unique designs will keep you busy for hours. Our coloring pages are free to download for personal use, so print as many copies as you need for your noncommercial purposes, and enjoy!
Cooking Comically by
This is not your grandma's cookbook. Cooking should be as much fun as reading a comic book. Recipes should be cheap and easy. And the food has to taste good. That's where Cooking Comically comes in. Tyler Capps, the creator of recipes like 2 a.m. Chili that took the Internet by storm, offers up simple, tasty meals in a unique illustrated style that will engage all your senses. These dishes are as scrumptious to eat as they are easy to make. This collection includes all-time favorites and original recipes from Cooking Comically, including Sexy Pancakes, Bolognese for Days, Mash-Tatoes, Pulled Pork (aka Operation Man-Kitchen), and Damn Dirty Ape Bread. Perfect for those who can barely boil water but are tired of ramen and fast food. Stop slaving. Start cooking.
ISBN: 9780399164040Publication date: 2013-10-01
Easy Chinese Recipes by
Cook all your favorite Chinese dishes at home with this easy-to-follow Chinese cookbook! Growing up in a Chinese household in Malaysia where cuisine and culture were inseparable, Bee Yinn Low developed a deep love and appreciation for food. Her early memories of helping her mother prepare steamy and fragrant Chinese meals solidified into a way of life for Bee as a working woman in Southern California. A love of Chinese food didn't translate well to a modern Western lifestyle due to time and ingredient constraints. Rather than give up her favorite foods, Bee experimented with recreating the unforgettable flavors of her youth with her limited time and using ingredients found in local supermarkets. She managed to develop versions of her favorite Chinese dishes that had all the taste--but were a lot less work! In Easy Chinese Recipes, Bee shares her passion and expertise in Chinese cooking. It features a collection of Bee's all-time favorite dishes--the foods she loves to cook and eat at home. She includes updated traditional family recipes along with her own versions of the best Chinese restaurant dishes from around Asia. Favorite Chinese recipes include: Crispy Shrimp Dumplings Kung Pao Chicken Sweet-and-Sour Pork Homestyle Chow Mein Noodles Mongolian Beef And much more... Building off her passion, expertise and the avid following she has on her website, rasamalaysia.com, the Internet's most popular Asian food and cooking site, Easy Chinese Recipes is sure to become the go-to book for cooks interested in creating Chinese meals at home.
ISBN: 9780804841474Publication date: 2011-09-10
Ethiopian Feast by
With easy-to-follow recipes and beautiful photographs of every dish, Ethiopian Feast is the first truly comprehensive guide to making authentic Ethiopian cuisine in the modern kitchen. Author, Mulunesh Belay, is chef, teacher and owner of an iconic restaurant, who has brought the joys of Ethiopian cuisine to the Pacific Northwest for more than a decade and whose offerings have been praised by the press as "impressive" and "addictive." In Ethiopian Feast she shares her secrets in 78 original step-by-step recipes. Mulunesh shows readers how to make all the country's classic dishes, including a foolproof method for making the flatbread known as injera, all with techniques adapted for the modern kitchen. Whether you are a foodie, a vegan, a vegetarian, someone eating gluten-free, an Ethiopian far from home or someone who has adopted an Ethiopian child, you will find Mulunesh to be a lively and welcoming guide to successfully creating Ethiopian cuisine in your own kitchen.
ISBN: 9780997402605Publication date: 2016-07-31
Gluten-Free Vegan Baking for Every Occasion by
Baking just invited Gluten-Free and Vegan to the Party! Sticky Buns, Fudgy Brownies, Salted Caramel Cupcakes, and more--who says your favorite sweets can't be gluten-free and vegan? Gluten-Free Vegan Baking serves up the best recipes for the tastiest treats so that you can bake your cake and eat it too! Celebrate every occasion with new recipes that rival traditional favorites. Complete with an introductory guide for seasoned and new bakers alike, this cookbook offers everything you need to indulge your inner baker and taste how great gluten-free vegan baking can be. The Gluten-Free Vegan Baking cookbook includes: Everything You Need to Know--Learn the basic Do's and Don'ts of baking delicious gluten-free and vegan baked goods. 75 Classic and New Recipes--Whip up breakfast bakes, breads, cookies, brownies, bars, cakes, cupcakes, pies, and tarts. Sweet and Simple--Forget about fancy equipment and ingredients--this vegan baking cookbook keeps things hassle-free with on-hand kitchen equipment and easy-to-find ingredients. RSVP for the party filled with showstopper desserts for every occasion. Gluten-Free Vegan Baking makes your taste buds go wild!
ISBN: 9781641524100Publication date: 2019-06-04
Great Old-Fashioned American Recipes by
American country cooking is a story of cows and chickens, grains and fresh vegetables and wild berries. It is simple and honest and touched with nostalgia, a bit of ethnicity, regionality, and history. This excellent selection of delicious home-style recipes by veteran food writer Beatrice Ojakangas highlights dishes that reflect many parts of the country and many different cuisines. Her recipe for Swedish Meatballs includes sauces adaptable for Asian-, Indian-, Italian-, and Russian-style meals, while her moist and sumptuous Chocolate-Applesauce Cake is a distinctive Dutch favorite, and her original Country-Style Ice Cream is a traditional treat all will love. Each recipe has been tested and reworked to make it easy to prepare with today's ingredients and a joy to share with friends and family. "A delightful hit parade of native classics." --Publishers Weekly Beatrice Ojakangas is the author of more than twenty cookbooks, including The Great Scandinavian Baking Book and Scandinavian Feasts, both published by Minnesota. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota.
ISBN: 0816648107Publication date: 2005-09-01
Isa Does It: amazingly easy, wildly delicious vegan recipes for every day of the week by
The ultimate plant-based cookbook for making easy, delicious vegan meals--often in under 30 minutes--from the bestselling author of Veganomicon Whether you're a vegan, vegetarian, or simply looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet, Isa Does It shows how easy it can be to make flavorful, satisfying vegan meals every day. These 150 simple and satisfying plant-based recipes include something for every meal of the day, from comforting classics to international favorites. They also a Sweet Potato Red Curry with Rice and Purple Kale Bistro Beet Burgers Summer Seitan Saute with Cilantro and Lime and more Moskowitz's recipes are not only delicious but also easy to make, with ingredient lists that are easy to find at your local grocery store. Her cookbook is a must-have for anyone looking to bring more variety and creativity to their plant-based meals.
ISBN: 9780316221900Publication date: 2013-10-22
Love Real Food by
The path to a healthy body and happy belly is paved with real food-fresh, wholesome, sustainable food-and it doesn't need to be so difficult. No one knows this more than Kathryne Taylor of America's most popular vegetarian food blog, Cookie and Kate. With Love Real Food, she offers over 100 approachable and outrageously delicious meatless recipes complete with substitutions to make meals special diet-friendly (gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free) whenever possible. Her book is designed to show everyone-vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters alike-how to eat well and feel well. With brand-new, creative recipes, Taylor inspires you to step into the kitchen and cook wholesome plant-based meals, again and again. She'll change your mind about kale and quinoa, and show you how to make the best granola you've ever tasted. You'll find make-your-own instant oatmeal mix and fluffy, naturally sweetened, whole-grain blueberry muffins, hearty green salads and warming soups, pineapple pico de gallo, healthier homemade pizzas, and even a few favorites from the blog. Of course, Love Real Food wouldn't be complete without plenty of stories starring Taylor's veggie-obsessed, rescue dog sous-chef, Cookie! Taylor celebrates whole foods by encouraging you not just to "eat this," but to eat like this. Take it from her readers- you'll love how you feel.
ISBN: 9781623367411Publication date: 2017-05-16
My Master Recipes by
Famed bestselling cookbook author Patricia Wells creates a blueprint for success in the kitchen with this superb collection of recipes drawn from her cooking schools in France--the perfect successor to Julia Child's classic The Way to Cook. At her cooking schools in Paris and Provence, Patricia Wells's students leave with more confidence in the kitchen than they ever experienced before. Now, home cooks can learn from the master, known for her collections of delectable, precise, and well-tested, recipes. Here Patricia Wells codifies the skills she imparts in her classes in this inviting instruction manual and cookbook. Each of the recipes teaches particular techniques--blanching, searing, simmering, sweating, steaming, braising, deep-frying--with additional recipes that take your skills in directions both savory and sweet, simple and profound--giving you the knowledge and assurance to expand your cooking even further. For each master recipe, Patricia provides creative sub recipes, such as: Braised Meat: Four-Hour Braised Aromatic Pork (Master Recipe), plus Provençal Lamb Daube with Tomatoes, Olives, and Mushrooms Grilling: Scallops Grilled in Shells with Truffle Butter (Master Recipe), plus Grilled Chicken Under a Brick Brioche: Honey Brioche (Master Recipe), plus Blueberry and Orange Blossom French Toast Madeleines: Sweet Chestnut Honey Madeleines (Master Recipe), plus a stunning Walnut Cake using the same batter. Roasted Vegetables: Autumn Rainbow Vegetables (Master Recipe), plus Roasted Eggplant with Harissa, Fennel Seeds, and Honey Panna Cotta: Lemon Panna Cotta with Candied Lemon Zest (Master Recipe), plus Raspberry Panna Cotta Rustic Galette: Apple and Fresh Rosemary (Master Recipe), plus Apricot and Lavender Honey Galette Patricia also provides a list of pantry essentials, necessary equipment, sources for finding the best ingredients--such as oils, fish and shellfish--a dependable list of preferred wine importers, and advice on when to make easy ingredient substitutions and when to stick to the original recipe.
ISBN: 9780062424822Publication date: 2017-03-07
Palestine on a Plate by
Palestinian food is not just found on the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem with the ka'ak (sesame) bread sellers and stalls selling za'atar chicken and mana'eesh (za'atar and sesame bread), but in the home too; in the kitchens all across the country, where families cook and eat together every day, in a way that generations before them have always done. Palestine on a Plate is a tribute to family, cooking, and home--old recipes created with love that brings people together in appreciation of the beauty of this rich heritage. Immerse yourself in the stories and culture of Palestine through the food in this book. This is a celebration of real Palestinian food, cooked with the ingredients that Joudie's mother and grandmother use, and their grandmothers used before them. Experience the wonderful flavors of Palestine through zingy fattet hummus (tangy yoghurt, chickpeas and hummus, served over toasted pita bread and drizzled in buttered pine nuts), satisfyingly spiced makloubeh (an upside down spiced rice dish with lamb neck and fried eggplant), eggplant and zucchini stuffed full with spiced and herbed lamb, and sublimely decadent awameh (honey dumplings) all accompanied by fresh mint tea and white coffee (not actually coffee at all, but a refreshing mix of water, orange blossom water and sugar). Colorful, stunning photography evoking the vibrancy and romance of the country will bring Palestine into your home and make you fall in love with this wonderful way to cook and enjoy food.
ISBN: 9781566560696Publication date: 2016-09-15
Ready for Dessert by
Pastry chef David Lebovitz is known for creating desserts with bold and high-impact flavor, not fussy, complicated presentations. Lucky for us, this translates into showstopping sweets that bakers of all skill levels can master. In Ready for Dessert, elegant finales such as G teau Victoire, Black Currant Tea Cr me Br lee, and Anise-Orange Ice Cream Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce are as easy to prepare as comfort foods such as Plum-Blueberry Upside-Down Cake, Creamy Rice Pudding, and Cheesecake Brownies. With his unique brand of humor-and a fondness for desserts with "screaming chocolate intensity"-David serves up a tantalizing array of more than 170 recipes for cakes, pies, tarts, crisps, cobblers, custards, souffles, puddings, ice creams, sherbets, sorbets, cookies, candies, dessert sauces, fruit preserves, and even homemade liqueurs. David reveals his three favorites- a deeply spiced Fresh Ginger Cake; the bracing and beautiful Champagne Gelee with Kumquats, Grapefruits, and Blood Oranges; and his chunky and chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. His trademark friendly guidance, as well as suggestions, storage advice, flavor variations, and tips will help ensure success every time. Accompanied with stunning photos by award-winning photographer Maren Caruso, this new compilation of David's best recipes to date will inspire you to pull out your sugar bin and get baking or churn up a batch of homemade ice cream. So if you're ready for dessert (and who isn't?), you'll be happy to have this collection of sweet indulgences on your kitchen shelf-and your guests will be overjoyed, too.
ISBN: 1607743655Publication date: 2012-09-18
Sephardic Cooking by
Copeland Marks, a contributor to such magazines as Gourmet, Food & Wine, and Bon Appetit, is the acclaimed author of The Great Book of Couscous and Sephardic Cooking (all Donald I. Fine Books). He makes his home in Brooklyn, New York.
ISBN: 9781556114199Publication date: 1994-09-01
Simple Thai Food by
Thai takeout meets authentic, regional flavors in this collection of 100 recipes for easy, economical, and accessible Thai classics-from the rising star behind the blogShe Simmers. Who can say no to a delicious plate of Pad Thai with Shrimp; a fresh, tangy Green Papaya Salad; golden Fried Spring Rolls; or a rich, savory Pork Toast with Cucumber Relish? Thai food is not only one of the most vibrant, wonderfully varied cuisines in the world, it also happens to be one of the tastiest, and a favorite among American eaters. The good news is, with the right ingredients and a few basic tools and techniques, authentic Thai food is easily within reach of home cooks. Take it from Leela Punyaratabandhu, a Bangkok native and author of the popular Thai cooking blog She Simmers. In her much-anticipated debut cookbook, Leela shares her favorite recipes for classic Thai fare, including beloved family recipes, popular street food specialties, and iconic dishes from Thai restaurant menus around the world. All of Leela's recipes have been tested and tweaked to ensure that even the busiest cook can prepare them at home. With chapters on key ingredients and tools, base recipes, one-plate meals, classic rice accompaniments, and even Thai sweets, Simple Thai Food is a complete primer for anyone who wants to give Thai cooking a try. By the end of the book, you'll be whipping up tom yam soup and duck red curry that will put your local takeout joint to shame. But perhaps more importantly, you'll discover an exciting new world of Thai flavors and dishes-including Stir-Fried Chicken with Chile Jam, Leaf-Wrapped Salad Bites, and Crispy Wings with Three-Flavored Sauce-that will open your eyes to all the wonderful possibilities that real Thai cooking has to offer.
ISBN: 9781607745235Publication date: 2014-05-13
The Starving Students' Cookbook by
Completely updated for the college student or reluctant cook of the '90s, this book offers even more mouthwatering dishes and a wide variety of vegetarian offerings. The recipes are explicitly described, complete with illustrations, cooking tips, and nutritional and health information.
ISBN: 9780446679619Publication date: 2002-07-01
Ultimate Dining Hall Hacks by
Transform your dining hall meals into gourmet feasts! Ultimate Dining Hall Hacks offers 75 amazing and creative recipe ideas that use items readily available in your college dining hall. Enjoy eggs carbonara or a mango parfait for breakfast, dine on tzatziki chicken salad or lemon-pepper pasta any night of the week, and create custom desserts like peach cobbler and chocolate bread pudding. Discover a wide variety of inventively delectable options as you make the most of your college meal plan.
ISBN: 9781612124506Publication date: 2014-06-03
The Vegetable Garden Cookbook by
In this vivid, beautifully-styled cookbook you will find garden-fresh recipes centered on 23 all-star vegetables you can grow in your own home garden. The vegetables featured are: eggplant, cauliflower, beans, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, peas, fennel, cucumbers, potatoes, corn, squash, chard, carrots, peppers, parsnips, radishes, beets, spinach, tomatoes, cabbage, zucchini, and onions. Imagine sun-ripened tomatoes, crisp carrots, and aromatic fennel taking center stage in your next meal. This book is brimming with an array of colorful recipes, from healthy soups and salads, to appetizers, quiches, snacks, and entrees. And although the focus is on the fresh vegetables, there's a little something for everyone; some recipes are vegan, some are vegetarian, and some include meat. Some favorites include: creamy pea soup with bacon foam, stuffed zucchini rolls, Hungarian goulash, beet pizza, and an Asian chard and honey duck sandwich. Not only does The Vegetable Garden Cookbook include 60 savory and creative recipes, but it also offer tips for cultivating, harvesting and preparing home-grown vegetables. This gorgeous book is a must-have for every veggie lover--and its rich and vibrant recipes are sure to inspire even the most stubborn carnivores to incorporate more vegetables into their diets. Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Good Books and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of cookbooks, including books on juicing, grilling, baking, frying, home brewing and winemaking, slow cookers, and cast iron cooking. We've been successful with books on gluten-free cooking, vegetarian and vegan cooking, paleo, raw foods, and more. Our list includes French cooking, Swedish cooking, Austrian and German cooking, Cajun cooking, as well as books on jerky, canning and preserving, peanut butter, meatballs, oil and vinegar, bone broth, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
ISBN: 9781632206732Publication date: 2015-06-09
You Suck at Cooking by
Do you crave food all the time? Do you think you might want to eat again in the future? Do you suck at cooking? Inspired by the wildly popular YouTube channel, these 60+ recipes will help you suck slightly less You already know the creator of the YouTube show You Suck at Cooking by his well-manicured hands and mysterious voice, and now you'll know him for this equally well-manicured and mysterious tome. It contains more than sixty recipes for beginner cooks and noobs alike, in addition to hundreds of paragraphs and sentences, as well as photos and drawings. You'll learn to cook with unintimidating ingredients in dishes like Broccoli Cheddar Quiche Cupcake Muffin-Type Things, Eddie's Roasted Red Pepper Dip (while also learning all about Eddie's sad, sad life), Jalapeño Chicken, and also other stuff. In addition, there are cooking tips that can be applied not only to the very recipes in this book, but also to recipes outside of this book, and to all other areas of your life (with mixed results). In the end, you just might suck slightly less at cooking.* *Results not guaranteed
ISBN: 9780525576556Publication date: 2019-10-15
Artwork by hyamei, on DeviantArt, used with CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 DEED license.
- Apartment Friendly Cooking by Alexandra MackThis free cookbook was created by Texas Woman's University graduate Alexandra Mack for her capstone project. The majority of these ingredients can be found in local or campus food pantries. Her cookbook not only raises awareness on food insecurity, but also teaches readers how to work with pantry staples and dietary restrictions.
- Pantry Cookbook: Recipes from AAAC StudentsFaculty and students at Anne Arundel Community College collaborated on this free cookbook of dinner and dessert recipes utilizing food pantry staples. Each recipe also contains information on the dish's cultural significance and student's personal significance.
- Dorm Eatery: Nutritional Advice for StudentsThis article from The State Press contains information on where to find healthy foods on-campus and off-campus. Those outside of Arizona can learn about foods and diets to promote balanced eating.
"ZOO Atlanta Panda Cam - panoramio (1)," on Wikimedia Commons, by MARELBU, CC BY 3.0 License.
- Explore LiveCamsWatch a variety of live cam streams featuring various landscapes and animal life from all over the world. You can also learn more about the missions of various sponsors and partners (nonprofits and sanctuaries) that help power these live cam streams.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium LiveCamsWatch penguins, sea otters, sharks, and other ocean and marine life in various Monterey Bay Aquarium exhibits.
- Pets of ASU LibraryReceive encouragement and view cute photos of various pets owned by ASU Library workers!
Take A Break at ASU Library
Interfaith and Ablution Rooms
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An interfaith reflection room is located on the concourse level of Hayden Library. This room provides the ASU community a quiet space for contemplation, meditation, reflection or prayer. Within this larger room are three private reflection rooms, and each private room fits one person. We ask that users of this space limit their use of electronics.
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An ablution room is on the concourse level of Hayden Library, across from the wellness and lactation rooms. Please stop by the Information Desk on the concourse level for the room key.
Wellness and Lactation Rooms
- There are two wellness and lactation rooms on the concourse level of Hayden Library. Each room can be reserved online and can fit up to one person.
Wellness Nook
- Near the library's South entrance (across from the Memorial Union) is the "Wellness Nook." This corner of the library contains natural lighting and some seats, as well as a table set up with colored pencils and a puzzle. This nook sometimes hosts outreach events such as therapy dogs and crafts.