Serenity in the City

Cool%2C+snowy+night+at+16th+Street

Cool, snowy night at 16th Street

  By: Jace DiCola

Homework, work, homework, work, homework, work. 

As the semester goes on, SATs, ACTs, and finals only creep closer, and for many students, it seems like all there is to do in life is school, minimum wage work, athletics, and homework.

As a senior who is surviving almost 4 years attending Grandview, and who bites off more than he could chew a good amount of times, I would like to offer my favorite ways to de-stress, and to thrive throughout the school year, exclusive to Centennial/Aurora kids.

Light Rail to 16th Street Mall

    1. IT’SUGAR
      1. IT’SUGAR has a fun atmosphere and sweets you would never think of to share with friends.
    2. Mellow Mushroom
      1. By far my favorite pizza place in Colorado, Mellow Mushroom has 10/10 pizza, hippy vibes and super friendly staff! Definitely a restaurant worth stopping by, especially as a break from walking down 16th street.
    3. Plethora of other shops
      1. 16th Street Mall is by far one of the most vibrant and fun places to be, whether it’s the middle of the day or late at night, 16th Street Mall will always have something fun to do

Bike to Cherry Creek Reservoir or Cherry Creek Valley Ecological Park

    1. Spending hours in suburbia and a cold school can take a toll on you. According to the American Heart Association, going outdoors significantly decreases stress and anxiety.

Take a breath and study somewhere new at Legend’s Coffee

    1. Legend’s Coffee relaxing yet productive atmosphere provides exactly what you may need to get away from the dead silence of the library, or the chaos at home. In addition to this, they have some of the best coffee and tea that you can get in Aurora.

Listen to these albums in peace and reflect on yourself

    1. Country: Best of Kenny Rogers by Kenny Rogers.
    2. Rap/Hip-Hop: Man on The Moon Volume II by Kid Cudi.
    3. Pop: Apollo XXI by Steve Lacy.
    4. Alt: Heroes by David Bowie.
    5. Indie: Soy Pablo by Boy Pablo.
    6. Soul/R&B: Let’s Stay Together by Al Green.
    7. Indie Folk: Songs From the Sunroom by Field Medic.
    8. Indie Rock: This Old Dog by Mac DeMarco.

Relax at East Dynasty

    1. Whatever Chinese dish your heart desires, East Dynasty is sure to deliver, and because the homey restaurant is owned and led exclusively by the same three waiters, you are guaranteed to get personal and attentive care while you sip on some Jasmine tea.

Help yourself by helping others

    1. Ronald McDonald House
    2. Casa de Paz
    3. Rocky Mountain Food Bank

Take advantage of the many different resources in the Grandview library

    1. From 3D printing, to puzzles, and green screen rooms, Grandview’s library has so much more than its abundance of books to offer, stop by and indulge!

Free Write

    1. Writing can be stressful and difficult in school, but quite therapeutic when at your own will!
    2. Use one of these prompts to inspire the creativity within
    3. What’s stressing you out? What’s on your mind? Write about it and send it to one of The Chronicle managers!

Make your own t-shirt by yourself or with friends!

    1. With only two major malls in our area, fashion at Grandview can become very uniform, so take the opportunity to relieve stress with a friend and make your own shirt! You can draw or print onto iron-on decals that go right onto any blank t shirt, or even tie-dye and paint your own shirt, just like The Chronicle!

Treat yourself on Tuesdays and get a free AMC membership to see any standard movie for $5 on Tuesday nights

      1. Movies can bring out emotions in us we didn’t know we had: joy, sorrow, and frugality. Luckily, anyone with a free AMC membership can take a mid-week break and see that typically very expensive movie for only $5.