I’ve always been into personalized little sidekicks. Whether it was a Tamagotchi dangling from my glittery Hannah Montana backpack back in elementary school, customizing my avatar on Club Penguin, or obsessively tweaking my Bitmoji to match my current outfits, having something small, personal, and slightly ridiculous to keep me company has always hit a weirdly motivational sweet spot. So when my friends convinced me to download Finch, I figured, why not?
I didn’t expect much with Finch at first — maybe just a basic habit tracker or a few feel-good quotes, like all the other (failed) self-care apps I’ve tried. Instead, I ended up with a tiny virtual bird that cheers me on, nudges me to drink water, and gently checks in when I’ve had a rough day. Totally unexpected and surprisingly helpful.
What’s kept me using it isn’t just the soothing pastel colors or the fact that my bird wears tiny hats (though, yes, that is a highlight). It’s the way Finch makes self-care feel low-pressure and kind of fun. Not something to stress about, but something I’ve actually started to look forward to. After talking with Nino Aquinas, CEO & Co-Founder of Finch, I started to understand why that is.
I used to think self-care was just another thing on my to-do list.
To be completely transparent, as much as I’m super into all the self-care regimens and routines (and, yes, here I am writing about them), self-care has often felt like just another item on my never-ending to-do list. Wash your face. Write some stuff in your journal. Try not to spiral. Repeat.
But using Finch changed that for me. It actually made self-care feel doable. With your own little digital birb (yes, birb), I found myself looking forward to checking in. It grows with you, learns what you need, and celebrates your small wins like they’re big ones — because honestly, I’ve learned they are.
“It’s gamified, fun, and designed to help people check in with themselves in a way that doesn’t feel cold or clinical,” Aquinas exclusively tells Her Campus. “They’re not just engaging with an app; they’re building a relationship with their digital companion, which makes it feel like part of their routine.” Every time I checked in, I was met with affirmations that (surprisingly) hit. You can turn on gentle nudges throughout the day to hydrate, breathe, or check in with your mood.
And my favorite part? Unlocking adorable micropets and discovery items as you grow. My birb has everything from butterfly wings and a spacesuit to a turtle and a “superfroggo” sidekick.
I felt less alone in my self-care journey.
As someone who thrives on connection, I’ve realized that building your self-wellness era is way easier (and way more fun) when you’re not doing it solo. That’s where my friends came in — the same ones who introduced me to the app in the first place. Soon, we found ourselves in this virtual treehouse: a space where you and your favorite humans can check in on each other and send motivational vibes, like calming reminders or digital hugs.
“We’re about to launch an ‘accountability buddies’ feature where you can celebrate your friends’ wins, check in with each other, and stay motivated together,” shares Aquinas. Almost 160 adventures in (yep, a 160-day streak!), my friends and I love sending each other some “good vibes,” whether it’s a quick “good morning” or a nudge to hydrate. Lately, my friend Tierney and I started holding each other accountable by sharing our daily rose, bud, and thorn. Checking it off in Finch has made the whole ritual way more fun, especially now that we’re both home for the summer.
It actually helped me set real boundaries for myself.
One of the unexpected wins of using Finch was how it gently reminded me to be intentional with my time and energy. According to Aquinas, “Whether it’s in building a consistent routine, feeling more connected to themselves, or finding support through the Finch community, at the end of the day, it’s all about letting users engage with Finch in a way that feels good to them.” It really helped me recognize when I needed rest, when I needed to say no, when I needed to take a stretch, and even when I just needed a minute to breathe.
And honestly, that’s my new vibe. Finch isn’t a one-size-fits-all wellness app; it’s my self-care toolkit that I personalized for what I need most. I’ve also found their First Aid Kit feature to be extremely helpful. Sometimes, when I’m juggling my three jobs or trying to keep up with my social life on the side, it’s hard to slow down or give myself a break. I was skeptical at first, but their grounding techniques, breathing exercises, and gratitude prompts have really helped me reset during those high-stress moments.
Two of my favorite daily check-ins are: “Do one thing that makes me happy” and “Give myself permission to rest.” They’re broad, but that’s what makes them work for me. Some days that means sleeping in or taking a nap; other days, it’s calling my grandparents or going out for lunch.
It reminded me that it’s about growth, not perfection.
While I do enjoy a good bubble bath or an unplugged weekend, I’ve realized that self-care, for me, goes way beyond that. Even as a Gen Z-er, I’ve had to figure out how to stay ahead of the stress spiral before it gets too real. As Aquinas puts it, “Gen Z is incredibly self-aware. They are proactive, they set boundaries, and they are open about needing support.” That really resonated with me because I’ve been trying to live that shift myself.
Lately, that’s looked like logging my mood between classes, or setting a goal as simple as “get out of bed” on days when everything feels heavy. I’ve had to learn to count those small things as wins: to give myself credit for showing up at all, rather than spiraling because I didn’t hit some unrealistic standard.
I tried using Finch to help me track that — and TBH, it made wellness feel more manageable. Not perfect, just possible. Like I said before, I didn’t expect much, but it genuinely surprised me how helpful it was to have a gentle, judgment-free space to check in with myself on top of my busy schedule. And that, for me, is what self-care is starting to look like: realistic, forgiving, and something I can actually stick with.