In high school, I was a huge defender for self-care. Journaling, face masks, personal days – if it made you feel better, I was all for it. I wasn’t always the best at following my own advice, but I made sure the people around me took care of themselves. Throughout the years, I have seen so many of my friends get incredibly stressed, and some even burnt out completely. Seeing people I love become so unhealthy took such a toll on me. With that in mind, I made a promise to myself that when I got to college, I would take care of myself, no matter what, and I would make sure that my friends took care of themselves, too.
But then I got to college. I realized how difficult it is to make time for a break in the whirlwind of things on my to-do list; my classes, my clubs and extracurriculars, my family and friends… you get the idea. Out of all the responsibilities I knew I’d have to take on in college, I didn’t know taking care of myself would be the hardest. I remember my first semester, I had a particularly rough week, and I called my mom. She told me to spend more time taking care of myself, because after that, everything else follows through. And she was right. That week, I started trying to find little ways to practice self-care in my busy schedule.
At least once a week I’d wake up, grab my favorite mug, and make myself coffee in my french press. The little ritual that’s needed to make the coffee really helped me focus my energy for the day, and I got coffee to drink, too, so it was a win-win! My friends and I also had a girl’s night, where we ordered pizza, watched movies, and just spent time together without worrying about anything. My absolute favorite place to get a slice of pizza in Rochester is East End Pizza and Deli on East Ave. They’re open until 2:30am on weekends, and their pizza is really cheap. But if you’re looking for something sweet, there’s always Insomnia Cookies, which is located in College Town.
Ironically, given all the previously mentioned junk food, another self-care method I found works is exercise. It sounds so corny, but moving your body does help you feel better. Plus, it’s mindful and mindless at the same time. When I’m on the elliptical, I don’t have the energy to stress about the test I just took or the million papers I have due in the next few weeks. It’s a fantastic stress reliever and I can use the fitness center right at Naz to get my workouts in.
Writing in a journal, even if it’s sporadic, is a helpful way to see what stresses you out and what makes you happy so you can continue (and discontinue) those habits! I personally love to sit in the quiet areas of the library and write and draw. Having a more open place like the fishbowl to do homework is great because there’s some noise to surround you, but the quiet back corners and nooks of the library are where I can truly get my thoughts out.
It really can seem like a little thing compared to everything else going on, but taking care of yourself in college is so important. Everything you do revolves around your well-being, so making sure you’re happy and healthy is crucial to your life in college. It’s not always easy or practice to spend $20 on a face mask, or buy yourself a really expensive dinner just because, but self-care doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to be for you.