After only being in college for a month and a half, I have had strep throat, Covid, and a sinus infection. This has to be a joke… My run-down body has affected my work ethic and motivation to take care of myself. I would rather sleep for hours a day than get a nice breakfast before class, or go to the library to catch up on work. What I’m learning, though, is that it’s important we still do things that we love and create a sense of joy even when we feel down or physically exhausted.
When having to juggle between school, self-care, and rest, all three should end up with an equal balance. If one is viewed as more important than the other, our priorities become lopsided and we can fall into a funk. For instance, if we are at the library until 11 pm every day and get to bed around 1 am, we then wake up late for our class. The cycle continues as our motivation for studying for hours into the night becomes pointless because we become exhausted and can’t retain information. A strategy that has helped me as a college student is to write out a list of everything I need to do and what time I need to complete it all. In this list, it is not just homework and assignments but also setting time for meditation, working out, socializing, and, most importantly, watching Gilmore Girls. A list like this has not only motivated me to work hard in school, but also to work hard on prioritizing my happiness and health.
Part of getting out of a funk or sickness is taking care of the mind, body, and soul. The mind is filled with either reading or doing school assignments that intrigue me. The body is going on walks to Amami and then nourishing my body with a blueberry croissant. The soul is surrounding myself with friends who bring my vibrations up and feed my soul with love and acceptance. Prioritizing these three components have not only helped me stay sane in college but have motivated me to be a better version of myself every day.