Students of all fitness levels are grabbing their mats and discarding their socks. Yoga is cool, relaxing, and simply good for your body and mind. According to a York University study, practicing yoga for 75 minutes twice weekly significantly reduced pain and promoted the release of stress-relieving hormones. Take that, AP tests and teen angst! Balancing the moods of teens may be a stretch, but that doesn’t rule out the flexibility component. Coupled with deep breathing, the focused stretches of yoga allow you to think: “hey, this looks silly, but I like it very much.” And don’t worry if you aren’t flexible – genetics don’t play a huge role, and everyone started somewhere! “ I would recommend a new person to make sure to hydrate before, during and after yoga, ” avid yogi and sophomore Sunny Hampton said. “ I would also suggest they have realistic expectations for their first class.” Indeed, yoga can be challenging. But it is far from competitive. Staying positive while keeping in tune with your body is most important. It is when you can just focus on yourself and think deeply (or not deeply, whatever you prefer). Of course, everyone has their own reasons for practicing yoga. “It gives me time to chill with lovely girls around me,” junior Hyeon Kang said. “Oh, and I also get really flexible.”