There’s no doubt that college life can be stressful, and you’ll find that self care is going to be a huge game-changer. It’s very important to make sure you’re taking care of your self and dealing with the stress in healthy ways.
There are lots of ways to practice self care, so there’s definitely something for everyone. Hopefully you can visit this article anytime you’re feeling overwhelmed and at least one of these will help you!
Seriously. Lay on your bed or on the couch and just listen. Don’t do anything else. Music is definitely therapeutic! Just listening to your favorite albums/songs for a bit can make you feel much more relaxed.
Not everyone likes to journal, but if you’ve never done it, it’s worth a shot. I personally love journaling. It’s a great way to get all of your feelings out in the open. It’ll make you feel better to not have them all bottled up! This is a healthy self care tactic for when you don’t feel comfortable talking to a person, but you need to process your feelings.
Troy University’s campus has lots of beautiful places to run. Even if you just run around the quad, there is still a lot of things for you to see while you run. If you’re not a runner, just go for a walk! My personal favorite place to run/walk is Janice Hawkins Park.
No, I don’t mean one of the textbooks you have to read five days a week. Try reading a new book in your favorite genre, or you can re-read one of your all-time favorites. For extra relaxation, you can find a nice spot in the shade on campus and read away. What’s not to love about re-reading the Harry Potter series for the 3rd time!
There are a lot of opportunities to practice yoga with a group. University organizations frequently host free yoga events on the quad which are super fun to be a part of! If doing it on your own is more your style, there are thousands of youtube videos you can watch to find the best yoga positions to relieve stress. Don’t knock it til you try it!
Curl up with your best girl friends and watch one of the classics! Bring It On, Mean Girls, The Notebook, you know-only the best chick flicks of all time. Pop up a bag of movie theater butter popcorn and hit the lights! This will be 2 hours of pure relaxation where you can focus on just the movie and nothing else.
You can also binge your favorite netflix series (def Stranger Things, right?) but not too long! Don’t confuse self care with procrastination.
This is definitely in my top 5 favorite self care techniques. This is one you can do alone or with your friends, and it’s rewarding no matter what. Going on a chilly, fall night is even better. Just roll down the windows, crank up your favorite music, and let go.
Yes, this might be one of the pricier ways to take care of yourself, but it’s okay every once in a while! You deserve it. You’ll feel good and you’ll look good. Splurge just this one time.
This one’s a double win. You’ll get to slow down and catch up with a friend that you maybe haven’t spoken to in a while, and who doesn’t love a good peppermint mocha.
Even though this seems like it would add more stress due to taking up time, it’s really the opposite. Using your time to help others can make you feel really good!
Not only that, but there are super fun things to volunteer for around Troy! You can volunteer at the animal shelter and get some quality time with the super cute pups or spend some time at the Boys and Girls Club and bond with some incredibly sweet kids!
Meditation can really help you slow down and focus. This is another one of those “don’t knock it til you try it” scenarios. Just like yoga, there are thousands of youtube videos to help you start out if you’ve never meditated before. Give it a try! You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
If you’re anything like me, cleaning out your desk drawers can turn a bad day into a good one! Taking the time to reorganize drawers, shelves, etc can make you feel less stressed without you even noticing. Plus, after you’re done, you’ll have a nice clean space to study in! It’s a win-win.
You can also de-clutter your closet and make some extra cash too! A lot of students sell the clothes they don’t wear anymore to other students.
As much as we hate to admit it, we spend too much time on our devices. Limiting screen time is proven to help with depression and anxiety, and it can also help you stay focused when you’re completing school work. You won’t feel like you have to check that text if you don’t know it’s there!
Going for runs and doing yoga are no doubt great, but going to the gym can be even better. You can use all the equipment you’d like, and you can get more of a full-body workout. This is a great self care tactic to take care of both your mind and your body!
Last, but definitely not least, the nap. In my opinion, naps are seriously underrated! You can take a quick, 15-minute power nap before you work that 8-hour shift, or you can take a 2-hour snooze before you write that term paper!
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