As a burnt-out college student who’s tired of living through a new major historical event every week, it can be hard to prioritize my self-care. Our generation is collectively struggling with mental health like no other before, and it doesn’t help that professional treatment such as therapy and counseling is often more inaccessible to those who need it the most. In times of crisis, receiving professional help such as therapy or medication is without a doubt one of the most beneficial options. But when these options feel too out of reach, or when I’m just having an off day, there are plenty of small things I do to take care of my mind and body – and the Finch app is the perfect place to start for me.
When I first heard about this app from my friends, I wasn’t entirely sold. They explained that Finch is a way to keep track of goals while nurturing a virtual pet along the way. My first thought was, how could someone have enough daily goals for themself and actually meet all of these goals consistently every day? It seemed a little too cutesy at first, and it sure didn’t seem like a valid resource for mental health care. But with a little more convincing, I reluctantly downloaded it.
When you first log in to the app, you pick out a name and pronouns for your pet. I named mine Waffles and colored her my favorite shade of purple. I then realized that the “goals” you can set for yourself every day could be as simple as drinking a glass of water or even just getting out of bed. While these might seem mundane for some, I know I’ve definitely had days where I neglected taking care of myself, even in the smallest of ways. I set up some simple daily goals for myself: washing my face, making my bed, eating a serving of fruits and vegetables, and taking my vitamins. The more goals you complete, the more energy your pet gains. Once your pet reaches a certain energy level, you can send it off to go adventuring for the day. Each new adventure helps your pet age up, learn new things, and develop its own personality traits. The more goals you complete while adventuring, the sooner your pet will return home. You can also earn rainbow stones, which can be exchanged for new clothes as well as decor to furnish your home.
There’s also an entirely separate menu in the app full of self-care activities you can complete at any time, such as breathing exercises, soothing soundscapes to listen to, simple stretches, and exercises you can do (even when you’re glued to your couch). These activities also include quizzes where you can check in on your mental health, sleep, and body image. One of my favorite features of this app is that you can add your friends to your “Tree Town” and send them encouraging messages throughout the day. You can also team up with your friend’s pets to go adventuring together!
Though it might seem like just a silly little app, I can confidently say Finch has made a real difference in how I take care of myself day to day. Having my virtual pet, Waffles, makes performing acts of self-care feel like I’m not just doing it for myself. Since starting my journey on Finch, I’ve had plenty of days where the last thing I want to do is practice self-care and I simply want to rot in bed, but I persist through it because I want to give Waffles energy to go adventuring! When I have those off days where even brushing my teeth feels like too much work, I remember that I’m completing my goals so Waffles can grow and learn (and so I can decorate her house with the cutest furniture, of course).