It’s mid-October. You’ve woken up from your vivid dream and grumble with the realization of what life is now. You can’t go to parties, you can’t eat out with your friends and you’re running out of things to do to spice up your life. What do you do?
For individuals living with mental illness, many of us are used to our demons by now. For some of us, however, something about having our summer plans squashed by the devastating nature of the COVID-19 pandemic mixed in with the desperate political situation we are in now is enough to easily drive a college student stir-crazy. From someone who has lived with and overcome mental barriers and blocks, here are some tips that might be a little more helpful for your mental health than your next Netflix binge. Here we go.
1. Make an effort to get up early each morning. Climate change makes it difficult to enjoy the cooler weather, but the great thing about mornings is that they’re cooler than the rest of the day. Get up, listen to your favorite music (I prefer Ariana Grande’s Sweetener album) and go for a walk out somewhere with nature abuzz. Or, if you prefer, go on a drive to your favorite coffee shop for some mental stimulation. A little coffee doesn’t hurt anyone!
2. Attend some webinars to learn something new. If you sign up for their mailing list, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has a wonderful selection of webinars that you can learn something new from. How to be an ally, how to be more inclusive and up-and-coming research are all things they’ve discussed in the past. With this new knowledge, you might even learn how to help yourself!
3. Take a virtual yoga class on Zoom. If your university offers it, why not work to align your chakras and control your breath through exercises focused on flexibility and balance? Don’t worry if you feel out of shape (I am, too). Just do whatever you’re capable of, then exit the meeting to talk with friends on Instagram like I do, having a clearer state of mind than before. You’ll be glad you put forth the effort!
4. Journal. You can look for prompts online, interpret your dreams like a true Freudian, write about your struggles and attempt to reframe your thoughts (a cognitive behavioral therapy technique), etc. One app I highly recommend is Sanvello. This is developed by psychologists and has a journaling section that incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy as well as free guided meditations and a mood tracker to get you through the toughest of times.
5. Make sure you’re eating a healthy diet. It’s easy to sit there with a bag of chips at the couch, but since you have so much time at home, why not experiment with cooking? Improve your skills and cook the most gourmet meals you can.
6. Check in with your grandparents. How are they doing? Ask them what life was like for them at your age. What was their college life like? What was their favorite hobby? What organizations did they get involved in? There’s a limitless amount of information you can learn from your older and wiser relatives.
7. Check in with your friends. How have they been coping? What activities have they been up to? Any new hobbies? How have they adapted to the restrictions on normal life?
8. Finally, check in with yourself. What keeps you up at night, and what can you do to work on resolving those feelings? What can you do to make yourself happy? What has brought you joy in the past, and can you recreate it? What did you enjoy as a child? Can you still enjoy those things?
It’s always important to take care of your mental health, especially in these unprecedented times. If you need someone to talk to, NAMI has a warmline that’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I’ve used that and immediately felt cheered up because of it. Be kind to yourself, and make sure to vote so your voice is heard this November. Happy self-caring!