1. Sleep.
Although we’ve known the importance of sleep since nap time in Pre-K, a healthy sleeping schedule has become a foreign practice for college students. We all desire it, but few commit to it. Suggestion: try to set up steady wake-up/go to sleep times. Wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day, or at least, often.
2. Exercise.
If you have an iPhone, go into your settings right now and check your screen time. It might be scarier than the syllabus of your most dreaded class, but it’ll prove a very important point. Odds are, you spend more than 2 hours a day on your smartphone- a large majority of which might involve scrolling through social media. Don’t feel too bad, we’re all guilty of it. In a way, this is a good thing. It shows you do have at least 30 minutes to go for a walk, have a short gym session, or even an hour to take a cycling class at your university’s wellness center. Unlike social media’s possible negative impact on procrastination tendencies and mental health, exercising will most likely make you want to get stuff done and release some of those much-needed happy hormones.
3. Face Masks.
For 10-15 minutes, put on a face mask. Whether it’s a charcoal mask, rose clay mask, aloe mask, sheet mask. You name it. Doesn’t have to be fancy, either. Head on over to your local Walgreens, CVS, or Ulta, for some great sheet masks under $5. Remember that if you’re stressed, your skin probably is, too. And let’s face it (no pun intended), stressed skin just stresses us out even more. Tip: stock up on them so that you have enough for a few weeks at a time.
4. Mani/Pedi.
Whether at home or at a salon, getting a mani/pedi can be very relaxing. Shed your stress along with your old nail polish, dry skin, or cuticles. You can do both or just do one, but a small hour of your day, once a week, can make a big difference.
5. Read A Book Just For Pleasure.
We all have to read textbooks for class. Even if we enjoy the class, we might despise reading the textbook because it feels forced, or it’s just boring. Try reading a book just because. Whether it’s a novel you can get lost in, or a self-help book that can help you get through the week. Suggestions: 1. Stop by a Barnes & Noble and grab some Starbucks. You can read a bit and study a bit, too. 2. If you’re the kind that falls asleep while reading, it could be helpful when you are too stressed to rest.
6. Watch An Episode Of Your Favorite TV Show Once A Week.
Okay, so I know we all love binging, but self-control might be necessary in order to not fail our classes. Remember when we used to look forward to the next new episode on Disney Channel? Well, this would be sort of like that. Whether the show is old or new to you, the only requirement is that it makes you laugh or that you genuinely enjoy it. During the days you have class, try picking one day of the week where you will dedicate 30 minutes to an hour to just enjoying your favorite TV (or Netflix, or Hulu… is TV even a thing anymore?) show. It could serve as a good study break to get your mind off of whatever stress you might be enduring.
7. Wash Your Hair At Least 1x A Week.
This might sound needless to say, but yes. Washing your hair could mean a couple of hours in total in between hair masks, blow drying, and styling. Sometimes, we just prefer to study for 2 more hours instead. Try setting time apart in your planner this amount of time once a week, so that you don’t end up forgetting or having more “bad hair days.” Tip: if you make one set night or morning “hair day,” it might be easier to keep up the habit. i.e. Wednesdays are hair days.
8. Schedule Time Each Week To Do Something You Love.
This one requires very little explanation. Literally anything (that fits in your schedule). Go to a dance class, paint, write, volunteer, cook- anything that just makes you happy.
9. Don’t Be Afraid To Say No.
You want to do it all. We all do. We want to be the good student, daughter, friend, partner, fill up that resume for grad-school applications. But sometimes, we can’t be all those things at once. And that’s okay. And even if we could, it would mean spreading ourselves too thin to the point of exhaustion and potential health issues. Don’t be afraid to say no to others and yes to your health. Even those who you are saying no to might thank you for taking care of yourself because they get the best version of you.
10. Eat More “Feel Good” Food, and Less “Comfort” Food.
This one’s genuinely difficult to advocate for, because McFlurrys and Chinese food call my name nearly every day. You’d probably agree comfort food usually leaves us with a food coma and doesn’t generally provide us with what our body and minds actually need. There’s a ton of research out there on foods that can help improve our mood, increase energy levels, and help with memory retention. Tip: try asking yourself what you need and then look for foods that will provide that.