I have never prioritized my mental health, always making excuses with my ever-mounting pile of schoolwork, a plethora of society commitments, and spending any remaining time socializing. It goes without saying, however, that this year is starkly different from the rest, and my mental health has taken the hardest hit. After reading this article by a college student trying to practice self-care in 2020, I was inspired to try it out myself. So, here is my not-so-glamorous diary of a uni student trying to practice self-care during a pandemic.
Monday: I woke up and had some bad coronavirus anxiety because I was having chest pain. At a loss for what to do, I sat in my bed and researched how to get tested. I was quite anxious about it but was luckily able to get an appointment at the testing center in town. After my test, I came home and made myself a salad with falafel and tried to do some schoolwork. I was anxious about my results and ended up calling my mom and talking it over with her which helped me feel better. I ended the night FaceTiming with some of my friends that are back home, and my roommate and I made breakfast for dinner.
Ways I practiced self-care: despite my anxiety, I was able to get tested. I also reached out to my friends for support when I needed it and managed to eat a filling dinner.
Tuesday: I woke up dreading my test results, but finally got a text that my test had come back negative around 11 am. Feeling a lot better I got ready, put on a real outfit, cleaned my room, and began my work. I ate another lunch of falafel salad (which was delicious), and decided to call the doctor to try and figure out where my chest pain was coming from. I was able to get an appointment for that afternoon, and they luckily didn’t seem to find anything wrong with me, but decided to schedule another check in a week later. Feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, I chatted with my mom, and eventually managed to get out of bed to make myself some dinner (steak pie and mash). I showered, chatted with my roommate, and went to bed early.
Ways I practiced self-care: I prioritized my health by going to the doctor. I reached out to my mom when I was struggling and even when I wasn’t hungry, I made myself dinner.
Wednesday: I woke up on Wednesday feeling ok. I had class in person but hadn’t done a lot of work with everything going on. Class ended up going well, and afterward, my friend and I got Mozza and caught up for a bit. I still found myself feeling overwhelmed when I got home, so I called my parents and was able to talk it through with them. My mom said that even if taking care of myself in small ways doesn’t make me feel better at the moment, like watering a plant, eventually it will begin to grow. My dad and I stayed on FaceTime for a bit, working together and playing each other new music we had discovered, and I started to feel a bit better. I decided to make myself some macaroni cheese and broccoli for dinner and ate whilst watching TV. After that, I ended the day with a bath and went to bed early.
Ways I practiced self-care: I got outside and saw a friend. I reached out for help when I needed it and I pampered myself with a bath.
Thursday: Thursday I woke up feeling a lot better; it was my last day of class for the week before ILW and I was excited about a break. I had some work to do before my class but managed to get it all done beforehand. I ended up taking my class on Teams that day, so I settled in for the hour and a half seminar ahead. Afterward, I made myself a quick snack and headed into town to run some errands. I texted my friend to see if she wanted to come with me and enjoyed catching up with her. I came home, called my parents, and made my roommate and myself penne alla vodka (which was lovely). I took a shower, called my brother, and settled in for the night.
Ways I practiced self-care: I managed to stick to a productive schedule, made myself a nice dinner, and talked to my family.
Friday: Friday I woke up feeling more like myself. I had a voice lesson in the morning which got me out of the house – singing always makes me feel better. I came home, ate some leftover pasta, and had my weekly therapy appointment. It was a really good session; she helped me debrief about the week and we discussed new strategies for going forward. Afterward, I chatted with my roommate and had an online meeting for the subcommittee I’m on. My roommate and I ordered Nando’s for dinner and chatted for the rest of the night, and I managed to get another good night of sleep.
Ways I practiced self-care: I did something that was a great stress reliever (singing), talked with my therapist, and brainstormed how to make next week better.
One thing I’ve learned this week is that taking care of yourself isn’t always glamorous. Being a university student in 2020 is difficult for everyone, and it’s important to prioritize taking care of ourselves, even when it seems impossible. So this week remember to drink water, check in with your friends and look after yourself; it will pay off in the long run.