As students are heading back to school, the lives of young adults attending college or high school can get busy, overwhelming and stressful! What is a better way to de-stress and take your mind off of everything than training jiu jitsu? Returning college students, who are also dedicated Gracie Barra students, talk about the best way to balance the two lifestyles! College student Gin Wells has been training with us for 3 months along with some experience from other jiu jitsu schools. She got in 6 days a week of training all summer long before returning to school! “I worked two jobs during summer 7 days a week. I made my schedules fit around jiu jitsu classes so I could go 6 days a week,” Wells said. “When I’m busy and stressed, being active helps me with taking a break from work while also doing something to release stress as well as build on a new skill.” Summer is a great time for students to get in as much training as they can before returning to classes. But jiu jitsu is not only a good stress reliever, but also a great way to improve over all mental health. “Training is such a good gauge of your mental health. Obviously jiu jitsu is very important for maintaining physical health, but I think it kind of lets you know where your mental state is because you’re putting yourself in these difficult spots and I feel like it allows me to kind of stay grounded and check in with myself and make sure everything is kind of where it needs to be,” college sophomore Jack Morris said. “It’s an incredible way to enhance your sense of well-being in life.” College students have busy lifestyles with work, classes, extracurricular activities, and maintaining relationships as well as physical and mental states. While some may choose to take a break during their school semesters, many of our students plan on finding a jiu jitsu school to train at close to their college campus! “It makes you more confident just in general. I’m a larger person, and I’ve never had to worry about getting jumped or ending up on the wrong side of stuff out and about. It gives you confidence not just in the sense of knowing technique and how to handle someone’s body, but more just walking around with the sense that you can take care of yourself or other people and be in control and not get freaked out in stressful situations,” college junior Jed Rainey said “Because in the gym, someone’s pressed against your face all the time and you learn to not freak out.”