A Guide to Self-Care

These past few weeks have been overwhelming, to say the least, and I have been struggling to make time to take care of myself. I started experiencing academic burnout and realized that I needed to make more of an effort to keep myself healthy. I know that a lot of college students have been encountering the same thing, so I want to share with you some things that have worked for me, and hopefully, they will for you as well!!

Making sure you get 8+ hours of sleep each night

I get it, trying to cram your homework, lectures, clubs, and other commitments into less than 24 hours can be challenging. However, the benefits that sleep can offer are immeasurable. Since sleep is vital to healthy brain function, healthy sleep can help with concentration and productivity. It can also help with problem-solving skills and enhance memory, both of which are crucial for academic success. On a more personal note, I know how important sleep is. In high school, I barely got 6 hours of sleep each night and was miserable the entire time. When I got to college, I knew I wanted to change this bad habit of mine and have never felt better and feel so much more awake and alert throughout the day.

Reading a Book

My roommate and I have recently become avid readers. We often read before bed, instead of scrolling aimlessly through TikTok like we used to do. I have found that reading can help you unplug at the end of the day and help reduce stress. I read an article recently that explained that 30 minutes of reading can reduce stress as much as if you spent that time doing yoga, or watching a comedy video. The physical benefits of reading are also great, as it can lower your heart rate and ease muscle tension. If you might be interested in getting more into reading but have no idea of where to start, I recommend looking at Goodreads, as well as TikTok’s “Booktok.” There, I have discovered some of my all-time favorite books, some examples being It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, and Heroine by Mindy McGinnis (Trigger warning for substance abuse).

Meditation and Yoga

Exercising is crucial to keeping my mind and body healthy. I do my best to go to the gym as much as I can but on some days, when I don’t feel up for it, I try to engage in some type of mental exercising, as well as low-impact physical exercise which often looks like doing some yoga or meditation. The health benefits of both are undeniable but in different ways. Yoga can help with balance, endurance, and flexibility, all of which keep your body healthy. Meditation, however, helps your mind stay sharp, as well as release any stress you might be feeling. As a beginner, I recommend searching Youtube for both yoga and meditation videos. If those seem to be helpful, you might want to invest in a yoga studio membership or meditation programs.

Eating enough and getting the correct nutrients

Diet culture has destroyed our perception of the importance of eating enough throughout the day. Nourishing your body is essential in maintaining your health and without it, you can experience headaches, low energy, and fatigue. You can also have trouble controlling your emotions as nutrition is substantially involved in hormone production, and when the body lacks the nutrition, you can begin to feel irritated and anxious. Food is energy, and when you deprive yourself of it, your body begins to shut down. This is why you need to provide your body with the material it needs for you to engage in your everyday activities. Food is supposed to be something that brings you comfort, and not something that you fear. Remember, you can’t live a full life on an empty stomach.

Journaling and Self-care Journals

Journaling is something that I’ve tried to implement into my life. There are some simple journal prompts that I follow to clear my mind. My favorite one is writing about how I am really doing and feeling. I often have trouble expressing my emotions and sometimes writing them out can be very helpful. There are a bunch of Self-Care related journals out there, who have specific techniques and prompts to help you manage your stress. They provide you with an opportunity to express yourself without any judgment, all within a safe space. Finding the motivation to start writing is often hard, so if you can, pick up a new notebook that you dedicate solely to journaling. This can be just a plain notebook or ones geared to self-care. Some examples are the 5-minute Gratitude Journal by Sophia Godkin, Self-Love Workbook for Women by Megan Logan, and The Book of Myself by David Marshall.

If any of these tips even remotely appeal to you, I recommend that you try them out. All of us need to start taking better care of ourselves, especially with everything going on around us. I hope that you are doing well, and good luck with the rest of the semester.

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