A Thousand Paper Cranes

Lindsey Hanna talks about the soothing art of making paper cranes, and how they heal her stress and anxiety.

Ironically, it actually started with stress for sophomore Lindsey Hanna. When she was ten years old, her teachers had assigned an art project - make a paper crane.

It seemed easy enough, but Lindsey Hanna couldn't quite get it. Her art teacher at the time had given out two possible ways to make cranes, and neither way was really working for her. Frustrated with it, Hanna went home and complained to her dad. "[He] combined the two methods that she gave us, and that's the one that worked," Hanna said.

Hanna also said that at the time, they were required to read a book on paper cranes called Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes "It's really inspiring," Hanna said when asked about it. "The story is that if you make a thousand paper cranes, you'll be saved," Hanna recalled with a smile. She said it's part of the reason why, to this day, she still makes them.

But there was something else to the story. Over time, Hanna continued to make paper cranes. It became less about the stress, and more about calming.

"When I'm stressed making a crane is a way for me to calm down," she said. The soothing and rythmetic movements of it is what seemed to work. It even grounds her in security, it's a reminder that her technique is unique, and it helps her find value in her work.

Hanna recalls, not long ago, having a large due date in her English class. Stressed out, she went home, and made paper cranes. After she'd made two or three, she stopped, and started on her work again. This time, she was more focused and driven on her work.

Hanna's case is similar to that of many teens, anxiety of the average high school is now almost 5.8 on a 10 point scale, said the American Psychological Association. This is higher than the average adults. What is considered to be healthy (a 3.9) is far below that of what teens are experiencing, and the numbers are still on the rise.

Anxiety and stress is becoming more and more prominent in adolescents. And it's vital that there's ways to soothe it. Eating healthily, and regularly, as well as getting enough sleep can be key factors, these often dominate the "remedies" for stress and anxiety. However, these are often difficult for teens. In a world dominated by extracurriculars, grades, and large amounts of homework, teenagers rarely have the chance to eat, and eat well, and get sleep.

However, the action of fidgeting, or in Hanna's case, making paper cranes, can also be a way to relieve stress. Emma Nicholls, a writer for Healthline magazine said that "stress can cause fidgeting, but fidgeting can relieve stress." This actually takes the brain's focus off of the task at hand, and allows it a "brain break" or time to reset itself, so when the person fidgeting starts to work again, they'll be more focused or attentive.

Hanna's method then, is a great way for people to calm down, reset, and become more attentive when they restart on their work. She hopes that people recognize that, and use it to their advantage. It's certainly been helpful for her.

She encourages people to "look up how to make a paper crane, and just try it, in the long run, it's a better way to calm down," Hanna said with a smile, and then jokingly added, "but don't [take] my method. It's unique."