Somehow, despite the fact that it feels like Christmas was basically yesterday, Easter is over and Summer is so close that we can almost taste it. But, before we get to kick back and relax, it’s exam season. Cue the montage of scenes of a packed library and crying students stress eating Ben & Jerry’s at 2 am.
It’s scarily easy to let stress get the better of you during exam time. This time last year, I got so nervous about my first year exams that I worked myself into a near hysterical state of extreme stress. In the few weeks between the start of term and my first exam, I was doing ten hour library days every day and deliberately avoiding human interaction. By the time my exams rolled around, I was a bit of a mess. Would not recommend.
The best way to avoid destructive behaviour in the face of stress is to follow the holy words of Tom Haverford from Parks and Recreation, and “Treat yo’ self.” It might feel like mental health is the least of your priorities when there are so many other things to worry about, but taking the time out to listen to your body and to take care of yourself isn’t ever going to be a waste of time. Plus, it’ll also improve your work and your productivity. Everyone’s self care routines are different, but here are just a few ways to show yourself some love.
1. Know when it’s time to take a break
This is a big one. Whether you’re breaking for ten minutes, a couple of hours, or even a whole weekend, it’s so important to recognise when you need to stop working and do something that makes you happy. Give yourself the opportunity to take care of yourself, and don’t punish yourself for needing time off. Even if you watch Netflix for several hours on end.
During deadline or exam season, I like to set aside time for working and for resting; for example, maybe I won’t work past 8 pm, and then I have the rest of the evening to relax. If you set aside time so that you can do something that makes you happy, you are more likely to be productive during your working hours, plus you’re making sure that your brain gets some down time every day.
2. Go outside
Walking is the ultimate way to clear your head, no matter what you’re stressed out about. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, overworked, or just really freaking tired, getting out of the house and getting some fresh air makes everything seem so much better. You don’t necessarily have to hike five miles along the coast path (although, honestly, the coast path is pretty damn close to perfection); it can be as simple as a quick walk to the shops, popping down to the beach, or you could walk around town and try and take as many artsy Instagram shots as you can.
Maybe give this a miss if it’s raining or aggressively windy, though. Battling the elements is never particularly fun.
3. Food!
I think we can all agree that eating is pretty much the greatest thing in the world. Whether you like to go out to eat, get a takeaway, or cook your own food, set aside time to just enjoy food, and try not to do work while you’re cooking or eating. Try cooking new recipes, cook your favourite old recipes, or bake a cake for absolutely no reason except because you like cake.
Plus, there’s no shame in a bit of comfort eating. If you’re feeling particularly crap, go to ASDA and buy a basket full of your favourite food. Ice cream is good for the soul.
4. Read for fun
Books are pretty great, and I’m not just saying that because I’m an English student, but often the pressure to be reading the books that you think you should be reading, like the difficult classic novels that you bought in a wildly optimistic Amazon order, is enough to put you off. While there is definitely merit to reading a dense volume of Tolstoy – mostly that you can brag about having read it -, it also feels pretty good to read a book that you genuinely enjoy, just for the sake of it. Even if it’s a young adult vampire romance novel that you can read from cover to cover in about two hours. If it makes you happy, go for it.
5. Make a thing
If you’re a creative person doing a non-creative degree, it’s easy to forget about how much you love making stuff and prioritise work instead. Whether you love creative writing, baking, painting, knitting, scrapbooking, making YouTube videos: take some time out to make something just for the sake of making it. Build an entire army of oragami swans, if that’s what floats your boat.
6. Dance Recess
A Dance Recess is a term created by Linda Barsi – check out her video above for the ultimate example – and it’s basically exactly what it says on the tin: drop everything, stop working, put on your favourite music, and dance. It’s particularly useful if you’ve been sat at a desk for a long time; it has all the benefits of exercise – it gets you moving and releases endorphins – but it’s way more enjoyable than going for a run.
This is something probably done best when there aren’t people around to judge your dancing skills. But then again, if you feel the need to take a Dance Recess in the middle of Falmouth high street, go for it. You do you, boo.
7. Pamper yo’self
Taking a long bubblebath and putting on a face mask is probably what most people think of when they think of self care, and rightly so. Sometimes, you really just need to take a long bubble bath and put on a face mask. Even just painting your nails or moisturising or using a treatment on your hair is often all you need to feel like a happy human being. A little bit goes a long way.
These are just a handful of ways to practice self care, but really, you can do whatever you want, as long as it makes you feel happy. The fundamental rule of self care is just to be kind to yourself. Listen to what your body and your mind needs, and don’t be afraid of taking the time out of working to look after yourself.
For a few more self care tips and tricks, check out this blog post for 50 Self Care Ideas.