Stepping into the college world, whether for the first time or maybe for your last semester, many things change. With stepping onto campus, comes a readjustment period, which can be brutal to handle. When it comes down to it, simple self care can be a helpful fix for making college feel more manageable, and helping you to be at your best.
The power of sundays
The power of Sundays is not a new phenomenon, as many have been blogging and writing about a “Sunday reset routine” for many years now. But there is a reason why so many are caught up in the buzz of this magical reset day. With Sunday being the technical start of the week, it is the perfect opportunity to set yourself up for a week of classes, and a good week in general. When it comes to self care tips, one of the most important is finding your own reset day. Whether you are following along with the hype of Sunday or are simply using a day of less homework to take care of yourself, having a day in your week to truly rest and reset is vital to surviving college.
self care starts now:
1. Treat yourself
First things first, we need to celebrate this time you’re taking for yourself. A great way to kick off self care time, and to show yourself some extra love is to treat yourself. Whether that is your favorite coffee, or maybe some candy in between classes, you deserve it. The simple act of treating yourself to something you wouldn’t normally get shows some extra love for yourself and celebrates where you are at right now. Think about how much you have accomplished! You deserve a coffee for that…
2. walk
The ever so romanticized “hot girl walk” that has swept the nation over the last year. Glamorized, and a little over done on the internet? Well of course, but for good reason. Walking has not only physical benefits, but mental. And, it is a lot less daunting then hitting the gym for a good workout. If you feel like you need to move to celebrate some self care time, a walk is a great way to do so. Bring a friend along, or listen to a podcast (I recommend the Moments podcast, one of my favorites for a good walk), or use this time to call one of your friends or family members. Walking can be a form or meditation, or motivation. However your walk looks like is up to you.
3. eat a “you” meal
This goes along with treating yourself, but one of my favorite methods of self care is having a “you meal.” A “you meal” is just what it sounds like, it is a meal that you absolutely love. Whether that means skipping the dining hall and heading to your favorite restaurant, or door dashing a meal you have been craving. A “you meal” is another way to treat yourself, and fuel your body in a way that is honoring something you love. Sounds simple, but having a good meal that you know you love is one of the best ways to practice some good self care.
4. Do something you haven’t in awhile
This self care tip is one that can be so easily done, but one that has monumental benefits. Think about one of your favorite activities, it really can be anything. When was the last time you did this? This self care practice is about going back to the root of what makes you happy. Inviting a practice into your life that you haven’t in awhile can be something as small as journaling, reading, drawing, dancing, or even hanging out with a friend you haven’t seen in awhile. It doesn’t have to be something big, but doing something you haven’t in a while is a great way to treat yourself.
5. your favorite show
Now this one feels pretty obvious. But one of my favorite ways to truly practice self care is time to watch your favorite show. Life gets pretty busy (especially in college), and if you don’t have a ton of time to indulge in self care, take 30 minutes to just sit, and relax and watch an episode you love. We all have our favorite episodes, and taking some time to watch one can relax your mind and body and help to reset your day.
**Self care is such an important practice in college, and after all, it is just you now. Making self care a priority can seem like just one more item on the to do list, but I hope that these simple practices make you realize that it is much more attainable then you think. So whether it’s thirty minutes, or you have a whole day dedicated to yourself, take some time to truly rest, relax and love yourself.