Julia Hemsley taps into her creative side as a therapeutic escape from her
packed schedule working and attending school full-time.
By: S.Manai
As students rushed to their 8 a.m. classes, Julia Hemsley found her own
peaceful spot on the grass, surrounded by her school bag, water bottle, and
interestingly enough, a coloring book and box of crayons.
While other students walked to class, listening to music or looking down at their
phones, she was lost in her own colorful world, carefully choosing which shade of blue
to bring her mandala to life.
Amidst Hemsley’s demanding schedule of classes, full time work as a baby sitter, and
social obligations, her primary method of escapism is coloring.
Each stroke helped her escape the stress of college life proving that sometimes the
best way to find peace is through a little creativity and imagination.
“I love coloring because I feel that it’s an outlet for me to completely shut off my brain and focus on something that has nothing to do with school, work, and other stressors
in my life,” said Hemsley. “It is satisfactory for me to color in the pages and see my visions come to life on the paper.”
Coloring can be a form of therapy for adults and this type of creative expression can
help reduce anxiety and promote mindfulness, offering a respite from the relentless
pace of life. Research shows that coloring is a relaxing activity for adults that reduces
stress and anxiety while promoting mindfulness.
Hemsley not only enjoys coloring on her own, but she also incorporates it into her job
by having the children she babysits color alongside her.
Hemsley discovered the therapeutic benefits of coloring in her freshman year of high
school, where the COVID-19 pandemic started shortly after. She used coloring to
combat the boredom and negative thoughts that came up from being in lockdown and
sought it as a creative outlet to unwind.
“It’s important to my wellbeing to have those moments where I can sit and color and destress,” said Hemsley. “Instead of going on my phone and checking social media when I’m bored, why not put my energy into something that has so many positive effects on my mental health?”
Because of the nature of the pandemic and it forcing us to stay indoors without much
to do, it became an opportunity for people to dive into hobbies that can be done
indoors like painting, tie dying, and coloring, which are also coincidentally done during childhood. The pandemic allowed for these seemingly childish pastimes to be revived into hobbies or activities for adults.
Coloring also brings back vivid memories of Hemsley’s childhood because she has
always associated it with sketching, drawing, and creating characters.
As a child, she would often turn to coloring books to pass the time on road trips or to
calm herself during plane rides. Now, she uses it to reward herself during school
breaks after long stretches of assignments and exams.
“I relate coloring to life. Most people in society need to have a career or find a home to live a fulfilling life, but you have the freedom to go about it your own way,” Hemsley said. “You choose to bring those dreams to life.”
