I know how hard it can get during the colder months and when schoolwork starts to pile up. We’ve all been there and we all need to be there for each other. Here are some of my tips and recommendations to help you get through these hard times and feel more like yourself.
First, and most important in my opinion, is to do some self-care. This can be in any form of your choosing, but some of my go-to’s are, doing a face mask, taking a shower, painting my nails and so much more. We all know how much better we feel when we look better. This doesn’t mean that you can’t wear sweatpants, because you can still look and feel amazing in those too! Self-care can take so many different forms, so if you choose to do some self-care, make sure it’s something that you enjoy and know will help you escape from the world.
Next, I have a question for you all: How many times a day do you call your mom? Personally, I probably call her at least 3 times a day, although, in my opinion, she could answer her phone more often. As the child of our parents, it’s our duty to call them and annoy them every day to make sure that they haven’t forgotten about us. When I’m feeling down or having a bad day, there’s no chance my mom will forget about me with how many times I call her. Talking to my mom helps me forget about all my problems. The same thing happens when I call my dad, sisters, or even my brother. Talking to family and loved ones, even your friends, can help you feel so much better.
When my mom doesn’t answer her phone, I usually go through all my family contacts until someone answers; I wish they would realize how much more important my problems are than their work, but whatever. When I’ve gone through all my family members and no one has answered, I decide I can no longer be associated with them and move on to someone I know will listen to me.
Here at Merrimack, students can get free counseling from the counseling center. All you have to do is head up to the third floor of the Sakowich campus center or call 978-837-5444 to schedule an in-person appointment. The The Counseling Center | Merrimack College also offers teletherapy which you can do from the comfort of your bed if you want!
Okay, I know sometimes when we are in a bad mood, we don’t want to talk to anyone. We’ve all been there. My best advice or recommendation is to put some headphones on and shut out the world. When I struggle to put together words about how I’m feeling, the next best thing I turn to is music. Music has a healing power that allows me to escape my own life and drown out all of the outside noises. I love music and could listen to it all day (if you ever see me on campus I most likely have headphones in listening to music), but I also realize that not everyone is the same.
Some other things I have found that help me get out of a funk are watching a movie, or TV show, or even listening to a podcast. I am a big fan of comedy movies because laughing always makes me feel better, and I pretty much laugh at everything, even if it’s not funny. If I’m going to watch a TV show it’s probably going to be a comfort show of mine, which is usually, New Girl, Friends, Modern Family, or pretty much anything that will make me laugh. I’ve also recently been trying out new podcasts and my current favorite is Therapuss with Jake Shane, and if you don’t know who Jake Shane is then you are missing out. He is absolutely hilarious and very relatable, if you’re looking to laugh, definitely give this podcast a shot.
Jake Shane and his videos always cheer me up when I’m down. He always has something funny to say and is refreshingly authentic as well. He has recently been sharing his workouts with Alo, which he is often seen doing with Tate McRae (which reminds me, you should definitely listen to her music and Jake’s episode with her Session 03: Tate McRae | Therapuss with Jake Shane (youtube.com)!), and also Glen Powell (if you haven’t seen his new movie with Sydney Sweeney, I highly recommend). This brings me to my next point, which is the importance of exercise for mental health. When I am feeling a lot of different emotions and don’t know how to handle them, I love to head to the gym and sweat it all out. I also love to go for a walk outside or even a hike if I don’t feel like being stuck in the gym.
After a good workout, I’m always feeling hungry, and nothing makes me feel better than some good food. If I am feeling off, food, with or without a workout, always solves all of my problems. My favorite comfort meal is probably pasta in any form, but I usually put some cheese on it for some extra comfort.
Over time, I have found many different activities and things to do that bring me happiness. The most important is taking care of myself and surrounding myself with friends and family. I feel confident that I can pull myself out of a funk, and I know you can too!