Listen up ladies: you can balance self-care while studying your heart out.
I get it, self-care looks different for everyone. Some people like to hit the books and call it “treating themselves,” while others drink the occasional glass of wine and consider that their self-care for the week. If you’re like me, you have probably thought in the distant past that self-care is just another term to try and make you feel better about eating that entire Ben and Jerry’s ice cream pint. However, after learning a way to balance my internal happiness with my education, my thoughts about self-care have completely changed. In this article, I am going to discuss the different types of self-care and how to fit it in during your busy days.
One type of self-care that is essential to any college student is emotional self- care. During my first semester of college, I have already felt 100 different emotions. Emotions that I haven’t ever felt before. I was struggling, I still am. However, I have found ways to connect and lessen these emotions which have helped me tremendously. For the newbies that are not sure where to start in the realm of self-care, there is one piece of advice that I hope you take away from this: this is trial and error. Do not be afraid to try new things because they may help you. One commonly stigmatized way of self-care is seeking a therapist. Although this may not be the best option for everyone, if you try it and it works, your mind and body will thank you tremendously. Other habits that can help with your emotional health include exercising, coloring, journaling, creating art and so much more. It is all about trying new things to find what makes you yourself again.
Another type of self-care that is also essential is your physical self-care. This step might honestly be the last thing you think of when you have four midterms to worry about in the span of three days. However, this type of self-care can be crucial to understanding your body and feeling great. Now, even the basics of taking care of your body can be considered self-care for some. To be able to get eight hours of sleep every night, don’t cram a late-night study sesh into your routine. I know you feel like studying chem at 3:00 a.m. might actually help you, but it is detrimental. Clete A. Kushida, a professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral studies at Stanford University, states that, “There is data that sleep loss leads to learning and memory impairment, as well as decreased attention and vigilance.” Other things like drinking water, going for a walk and eating a healthy meal all contribute to a well-balanced self-care routine. However, there are other things people use additionally to create their self-care regime. Face masks have been a constant trend. You can never go wrong with stuffing a couple of face masks into your friend’s birthday gift; they’ll love it, trust me. But think of it this way, doing something you love, whether it’s big or small, will always contribute to your wellbeing and self-care. If you like painting your nails, find your color and paint them. If you like going to the gym, do it. Do what you love, it will make your busy days seem less stressful and something you can actually handle.
Whether you’re staying up late studying your butt off, or you’re waking up early and grinding it all out, just remember that your body is something to think about. Taking care of your mind is essential and is just as important as taking care of your body. Finding the right self-care routine will help you navigate your busy days of life. You can enjoy the good parts of life while also getting your work done.
Source: https://aasm.org/college-students-getting-enough-sleep-is-vital-to-academic-success/.