Everybody loves a good to-do list, as it navigates what we have to do for the day. As a busy college student, I have developed a love for to-do lists as I am able to have that feeling of accomplishment every time I cross off an item. When looking at my to-do list, you would often see items such as: attending meetings, doing laundry, attending office hours, completing History 2112 reading, etc. The more and more one looks at their own to-do list, they’ll notice that they have more about what they need to accomplish and less about their own self. When is the last time you put taking care of you first as a priority? As college students, we are always on the go and thinking about the next thing instead of focusing our ownself and needs. If you struggle with being the best person you can be, here are a few personal cares to put on your next to-do list.
1. Take time for you (#TreatYoSelf)
Tom from Parks and Recreation said it best. It’s crucial to take time for you away from heavy workload and commitments that is a part of your daily week. According to familyshare.com, it is important to take time for yourself because it extends anxiety relief, improves physical health, maximizes productivity, increases happiness, and strengthens focus. So skip the coffee girlfriend, put away the books, relax and do something that you find enjoyable (for a reasonable time at least).
2. Try to stay positive at all times
In college you experience a lot of failure. You may not have recieved the grade you wanted on your essay, got that internship you have been dreaming about, or got ghosted by that guy from your math class that you thought really liked you. You probably want to hide under your blanket and give up on life. Through every down college brings, you have to stay positive throughout the entire time. There are times where it’s hard to be positive after experiencing failure, but try to have a “this won’t stop me” attitude. Remind yourself every time failure comes that you will get them next time.
3. Love yourself
I CAN NOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH! As Viola Davis said in the The Help: “You is kind, you is smart, you is important.” Never think you are worth nothing, because, sister, you are worth more than a diamond. Love your flaws no matter how much you hate them and want to get rid of them. Take time to appreciate the beauty and values that you have, because if you don’t love yourself how will you expect anybody else to.
4. Don’t doubt yourself
There are times you probably belittle your abilities for making a good grade on a test, passing a class, getting a position in an organization, club, sport, or sorority, or an internship/job. Never doubt yourself because you don’t know what you are capable of and will never know unless you try for it. Next time, instead of saying, “I can’t do that,” and backing way, challenge yourself and say, “I will do that.” You may be surprised by the results that you get.
5. Stay healthy
It’s hard to stay healthy in college, as we are always trying to get many things done. We skip out on that gym session to squeeze in an extra hour to cram for our test the next day, substitute water for Starbucks coffee to be able to function and accomplish more, and get less than seven hours of sleep every night. Not taking care of our bodies is healthy and this can lead over to us not doing well in classes. Going to the gym for at least 30 minutes twice a week, drinking water every chance you get (you’ll save a lot of money by not going to Starbucks that often), and making sure you are in bed at a decent time every night can do wonders for you.
6. Don’t be afraid to reach out when you need it
One surprising thing I found out in college is how people are here when we need them. From your friends, to other students, to your professors, to the University Health Center, they all want to help you succeed. You don’t have to feel like you’re doing this by yourself. Reach out to your classmates to collaborate on homework and preparing for a test. Talk to professors when you don’t understand what is going on in class. Visit the University Health Center to talk about your stress/anxiety with somebody as they are there to help provide services to help you find a way to control stress and anxiety. If all that doesn’t work, surround yourself with friends because you’re always going to need somebody to be there to lift you up when you’re down (and be the shoulder that you cry on).