As Zoom university comes to a close, the transition back into in-person classes and university can be rough. Now, there is a lot more time that goes into getting to and from class, along with the influx of in-person activities such as club fairs and welcome events. While we all enter this whirlwind of in-person school, it is incredibly important to take care of ourselves. Here’s why.
With in-person classes, our days are completely full of moving around and doing things. Whether it’s biking to classes, walking across campus, or going out with your friends, all of our days tend to fill up socializing and immersing ourselves in campus life. This consequently means that we have less time for self-care.
But don’t fall into the rabbit hole of neglecting your body and mental health! Try to block out specific times within your day that you will take to relax, unwind, or de-stress. For some, this may be in the form of meditation, yoga, or study breaks. For others, self-care can mean taking the time to shower, brush your teeth, and take care of your physical body. It’s so easy to neglect your health and wellbeing for the sake of jumping back into social activities, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to jump back into campus life. After all, we’ve been stuck for more than a year completely online. But as things start getting hectic, it is so important to take care of yourself. That way, you’ll feel much better getting through the craziness of the school day.
I want to encourage all of you to also find a self-care activity that you haven’t tried before. Here is a quick list of relaxing (and fun!) self-care possibilities:
- Starting a gratitude journal
- Going on a relaxing bike ride in nature
- Read a book you’ve always wanted to read
- Find a podcast that you think sounds interesting.
- Make a Spotify playlist about anything.
- Repeat daily mantras to yourself (this could be anything — my favorite mantra is telling myself that I am worthy and capable of success)
- Take a study break and don’t go on your phone – instead, just sit there and reflect on how you’re feeling
- Do a body scan — How does each part of your body feel in the present moment? What can you do to improve any areas that feel tense or strained?
- Do a face mask
- Phone someone you love and remind them that you love them
Whatever self-care activities that you love and find comforting, try to stick with them – even when school and life get hectic. And if you find yourself slipping, that’s okay! We all get overwhelmed with everything that’s going on around us. Try to remind yourself that in order to feel better, you need to take care of your body and mind.
Whether your quarter is off to a joyful start, or even if it’s off to a more stressful start, remember to care for yourself. You deserve to be as happy and healthy as you can, and self-care is so, so important in allowing you to feel your best.