Senior year bucket lists and saying yes to everything can make the year far more eventful, but having almost no downtime can catch up to your peace fast. Even though I can’t get enough of college social culture, self-care and mental health are the foundation for enjoying it. These are some tips on how I’m striving to protect my personal peace this year.
- Prioritizing Positivity
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I’ll be the first to admit, I’m a complainer. Shamefully, it’s almost second nature for my friends and me to go back and forth lamenting our classes, exams, teachers, the weather, pretty much anything. However, while complaining can be a coping mechanism, it can also have a negative impact on the psyche.
Personally, it’s necessary for me to express my negative thoughts in order to free my mind of them. It’s important to make a point to try to think positively. Journaling about a bad day and writing about a few things you’re grateful for that day are great ways to do this.
Making a concerted effort to acknowledge the amazing things in life is a great way of making sure you don’t take things for granted. As a college student, it’s easy to forget that you won’t always live in such close proximity to your best friends and have a fast-paced social life.
Being so caught up in this blessing itself makes it effortless to overlook how fleeting it is. It’s so important to occasionally take a beat and stop to smell the roses. It’s corny yet true.
- Talking About Mental Health
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The term “mental health” has somehow become loaded. When mental health is mentioned, I’ve noticed a shift in tone. Over time, the phrase has garnered more and more ancillary meaning and added subtext. In my opinion, this nuance has made mental health less of a casual topic.
While mental health is undoubtedly important, that serious connotation around the phrase can certainly make it more difficult to talk about. Especially at such a formative age, it’s crucial that we don’t let mental health be swept under the rug in fear of its implications. It’s so meaningful that we keep mental health in the conversation, even the casual ones.
- Staying Connected
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I’d be nowhere in life if it weren’t for my friends, especially the ones who’ve become like my family. Undoubtedly, the best and most foolproof way I protect my peace is by leaning on them.
Spending time with good friends makes you feel better, which is a great form of self-care. Beyond that, knowing that when you need it most, you can lean on your friends for support, advice, and anything you need, just like you would for them. The best method for protecting my peace amidst all the chaos of college is to always check in with my friends.
Though FSU may be chaotic, stability can always be found if you look for it. I hope we can all take a deep, cleansing breath this week and find our inner peace together.
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