Laughter!

This week’s blog is going to deal with the self-care aspect of my blog.

Have you ever heard that laughter is the best medicine? I think it is. Usually a few minutes of laughing can make me feel better about anything. Organic, natural laughter is the best in my opinion, because I am not fighting any emotions and I am not trying not to laugh. Occasions like this are if I am sad or hurt and someone is trying to make me laugh. I end up feeling better anyway, but sometimes it is so awkward. I remember vividly when I broke my collarbone one of the head camp ladies complimented my socks, and they were from a shop called Do Trot In. She made a really awful joke and was like “Oh maybe I’ll have to trot in to get them.” Kudos to her, she was trying her best and she got me to feel a little bit better, if not only because throughout me tearing up I thought it such a bad joke. But even in the worst situations, a little bit of joy and laughter can light everything up. It reminds me of a Dumbledore quote: “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” Regardless of whether people love or hate Harry Potter, it is a solid quote. I also think of a Tik Tok video I have seen, where a man recorded him trying to “break out” of his coffin at his funeral. While he had passed away, the recording made his family laugh in the somber situation.

With this, I also wanted to do some research, and according to HelpGuide, there are a myriad of benefits, mentally and physically, of laughing, “Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress.” Honestly, to combat the PSU Plague, we should just watch a bunch of funny videos. After all, won’t that strengthen our immune system? It also is no surprise that laughing also releases endorphins, and in college, especially during midterm and finals, laughter and happiness, just taking care of our mental health in general, is critical for our wellbeing.

One thing that I enjoyed doing with my brother, especially when we were younger, was watching AFV’s or FailArmy videos on YouTube. Whatever type of day I may have been having, those 7-12 minutes always lightened my mood. Laughing also strengthens relationships with those around you, like with my brother. While just tiny moments, I will always cherish them.

So your assignment this week is to laugh at something! Whether it is a video in this class that we watch or a Tik Tok or a movie or something your friend is doing, let go of everything and just laugh. Trust me, I have some funny videos if you need recommendations. Society forces us to become more serious as we grow up, and sometimes there are judgements based on how someone laughs or when they laugh. It doesn’t matter. Just be happy and laugh  🙂