Self Care In College: Survival

By Aleida Moreno on August 28, 2014

The typical college setting can take some time to get used to. (image via www.dailycal.org)

The big transition into college life is often an emotional and stressful time for all parties involved. With the hustle and bustle of moving in to your new home, choosing classes, looking at textbook prices and getting into the general swing of things, it’s easy to forget to do the most important thing: think about your health.

In a new setting and finding yourself surrounded by thousands of new people and the overwhelming emotions that come with such an important transition, arranging time for your self care routine is crucial to survival in college, but there are so many other factors to consider.

Now, you may have to be considerate of your roommates before rocking out to your favorite tunes or taking an hour long bath to reflect on your new situation.

Here are a few things that you can add to your self care routine that are more fitting for the schedule of a busy college student.

1. Journaling

It may seem childish, but journaling is an effective method to record your feelings. You’d be surprised how cathartic it can be to write about the things that you’re experiencing.

In the first few weeks of college, when you may not have as many close friends to share your feelings with, a journal can help ease the way you deal with those emotions. Plus, it’s always really fun to look back at your journal a year later and see how much has changed.

The important thing about journaling as self care is to remind yourself that writing in your journal is not homework. A lot of people claim to be unable to keep a journal because they “can’t think of what to write every day.”

Get a nice journal you can carry around and only write when you need to.

2. Indulge: watch a movie or some TV 

This may sound counter-productive to an optimal college experience, but when done in small amounts using television or the internet to watch your favorite movie or an episode or two of your favorite show can really help clear your mind from things.

With this method of self care moderation is key. It’s easy to get hooked on a show and watch entire seasons in one sitting, neglecting your school work and social life. The point of self care is to distance yourself  from all of the things that are stressing you out just enough to gather your bearings and be able to refocus.

3. Don’t forget to eat! 

With the late nights and early mornings paired with running back and forth across campus to your classes, it’s almost too easy to forget to stop for food.

Even something as simple as eating a good meal can help lift your spirits and help you power through the papers and research and studying.

If you like cooking, take a walk to your closest store and buy some ingredients to make yourself something good. Just because you’re a student, doesn’t mean you have to live off microwavable noodles, and you don’t even have to break your budget to make a nice meal.

There are so many good resources online like the blog No More Ramen dedicated to helping students and other generally low income demographics eat well.

4.  Get some sleep 

Although it may seem like a waste of time when there is so much to do, sleep is essential to maintaining your health. In high stress environments, your body needs to sleep.Even if you’re tempted to party all night or feel as though you’re more productive at night, it’s important to budget your time in a way that allows for you to get some sleep.Sleeping is the optimal relaxation method and you can get a whole lot off your mind with just a few hours of sleep and wake up feeling ready to conquer the world.You only get one body; it’s super important that you take care of it. While there is a lot of pressure to push yourself to the limit in college, there are few things you can achieve well when you’re exhausted and overwhelmed.

Whether you recharge your energy better alone or in a group of friends, it’s important to make time to do so. Colleges and universities are giant institutions full of resources and people ready and willing to help.

If things ever get so overwhelming that a little self care doesn’t make you feel better never be afraid to reach out for help with your school’s counseling or a crisis hotline.

Take care of yourself. Have a happy, healthy semester and remember in the wise words of Audre Lorde:

image via http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com

 

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