College can be overwhelming and stressful at times, and especially with COVID, being away from home, workload and exams, its easy to forget to take a mental break and focus on yourself. I have realized that even though self-care can easily not be deemed a priority, it has helped me control my anxiety, stress, and even improved my focus, mood, and motivation. Now, how do you even start? The truth is that there isn’t simply one right answer to this question, but I hope to provide you all with some tips to help manage college life and personal wellbeing.
Take some time to think
It’s important to be aware of what makes you stressed and anxious as well as what makes you calm and happy. Take some time to reflect on what these things are and maybe even write them down. At times, ignoring what is making us nervous or stressed seems like the most convenient option, but I have found that the more you bottle up your emotions, the harder it will be to deal with them later on. Be honest with yourself. If you are not having a good day or good week, acknowledge that that’s okay. Once you reflect on what is making you feel overwhelmed, try thinking of small ways to possibly help deal with this. I know this is easier said then done, but it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes the simplest things can make us feel so much better. If you like being outdoors, try taking a 10 minute walk around campus. If you like art, try drawing for a small period of time. Taking some time out of your day to do things that make you happy can provide so many benefits to your day.
Things to try when you’re not feeling your best
Maybe you’ve reached this far into this article and are asking yourself, “okay, but what if I don’t know which activities calm me down or make me happy?” That’s totally fine. Trying different things and finding what works for you takes time. Here are some things I have found have helped me stay grounded and improved my mood:
- Dancing
- Skincare
- Meditation
- Yoga and stretching
- Working out
- Drawing/painting
- Going on walks
- Writing/reading/journaling
- Taking a warm shower
- Taking pictures
These are just some examples of activities I have tried that have worked for me. These don’t have to be time consuming; you can take as little as 20 minutes out of your day to try these, and they can have a great impact.
Manage your time
When you’re overwhelmed, it may seem like you don’t have any time to do anything for yourself. But the truth is that if you plan your day accordingly, it is way easier to get some free time, even if it is just 30 minutes. I recommend keeping a planner to organize your day.
I hope this helped a little bit :)