In my dorm I have a white board that has a list of ways I can use self-care when I need it and to remind me to practice self-care because it’s so important. Here are the things I have on my list to remind others and to give you ideas on how you can incorporate self-care into your daily routine.
Listen to music
Music is such an easy way to set the tone of your dorm, whether it’s sad, happy, energetic, it’s up to you. It can help you cope with emotions you may be feeling, or it might brighten your mood and maybe even make you do a little shameless dancing by yourself.
Dancing
To be clear: I am not good at dancing. But dancing alone in your dorm or even out at the club, if you’re comfortable, makes me personally feel energetic and good inside. Just dancing or singing along to one of your favorite songs can be so therapeutic and help you loosen up after a long day.
Skin care
One of my favorite self-care methods is skin care. Skin care can fall under so many different things like just simply washing your face or doing a full-fledged routine complete with facemasks, toners, essence, facial oil and moisturizer. Whatever your skin care routine is, it can help you calm down and remind you that it’s important to take care of yourself.
Shower
Speaking of keeping yourself clean, a shower is obviously a great way to do that. After I have an anxiety attack or just having a bad night, I always take a shower to make me feel better. It helps me wash away all the tears and gross feelings that I have after a panic attack. It brings comfort to me, especially after when I get in some comfy PJs and curl up in bed.
Do Your Makeup
Not everyone is super into makeup, so this form of self-care may not be for you, but I still highly recommend it. Personally, I’m a culprit of doing my makeup late at night, not because I’m going out but just to have fun. To me, makeup is fun to do and when I need a confidence boost I always tend to do a full face in my dorm.
Socialize
For me, hanging out with one of my friends in my dorm while doing homework is great to make the homework a little less grueling. I may not be as productive as I would be by myself, but it makes it easier and more enjoyable. And just taking a break from homework entirely to hang out with friends is even better and makes me forget about all the things I stress about when I’m alone.
Journaling
I’ve been journaling since the 5th grade and I’m about to fill my third journal. Journaling is a good way to get all your thoughts and emotions out on paper. It can be relieving to be able to write down how you feel without having to rant to someone about it. And it’s a healthy way to process what you’re going through at any moment, or a good way to practice mindfulness and being grateful.