Self-Care in College

College is stressful. It just is, and there is sadly no escaping that fact of life. When you're really on the go and stressed, it can be really easy to forget about self-care, and so I have some tips as to how you can go about practicing self-care while you're in college.

Go outside on a nice day.

• Take a walk. Even just a few minutes outside can leave you feeling refreshed.
• Sunbathe. Take a break from your studying and just sit outside and soak up the sun.
• Move your studying outside. Don't have time for a break? Just move outside and soak up the sun that way!
• Eat lunch outside. Have a little mini picnic with your friends instead of sitting inside Old Main or Paw Print!

Turn off electronics.

• Try turning your electronics off 15-30 minutes before bed. The blue light electronics give off can mess up your sleep.
• Pick an hour and don't use electronics during that hour (or longer if you're feeling adventurous!)

Sleep!

• Get a good night's sleep.
• Nap. Seriously. Naps are life savers.
• Even if you can't nap, just laying down with your eyes closed for a while will make you feel more rested.

Drink more water.

• Drinking enough water will make you feel so much better it's actually crazy.
• If you have trouble drinking water, try bribing yourself. For every glass of water you drink, that's a glass of your favorite drink you can have later.

Take a Shower/Bath.

• Honestly, is there a better feeling than taking a shower or bath and then putting on comfy pajamas?
• Feeling clean can honestly give you a new outlook on life. 

Treat yo' self.

• Been studying for 3 hours straight? Treat yourself to your favorite Starbucks drink.
• Finished everything you needed to finish and have a few hours before bed? Treat yourself to your favorite movie or video game.
• Made it through a really stressful week? Treat yourself and do something fun with your friends over the weekend.
• Honestly, just treat yourself. Life is way too short to not treat yourself.

Take Breaks.

• Working yourself to death isn't going to do anyone any good.
• Even if your break is just getting up and moving around your dorm room for 3 minutes, take breaks.
• Try the Pomodoro Technique when you're studying for long periods of time. It's super productive, but you still allow time for small breaks.
• If you've been going nonstop for weeks, try and take a day to yourself, or even just an afternoon. 

Eat Well.

• I'm not saying start any crazy diets, or even telling you to give up pizza or cookies. (Especially since you can now get both of those things delivered to your door?)
• Make sure you have at least some protein everyday. 
• Try and eat fruits and veggies a least couple times a week at least.
• Don't fill your body with straight up trash all the time.
• I know it's hard to eat healthy when you're short on time, and either depending on Old Main for your food, or cooking for one in an apartment, but add some healthy stuff to your diet as much as you can.

Say No.

• College offers so many opportunities, and most of them are amazing opportunities. However, it's 100% okay to say no.
• If you're already in four organizations and you get an offer to join a fifth, it's okay to say no to that fifth, or even end your time in one of the first four to join the fifth.
• If you ever feel pressured to take more hours than you feel comfortable taking, say no! I know with the scholarship it's easy to say, "I have to get out in four years!" or "I want to graduate early and use the remaining semesters for grad school!" If you think that's going to put too much stress on you, then don't do it. College is different for everyone, and it's okay if you take more or less time than most people to graduate.
• If you don't have time to go to dinner with your friends, it's okay to say no. There will be other chances for dinner.
• It's okay to say no, and it's also good to say no.

Ask for Help.

• Asking for help is ridiculously hard at times, but it's totally okay to do it.
• No matter what kind of help you need, there's most likely a resource on campus to help you out.
• Ask your friends for help.
• Ask your family for help.
• Ask the Terry Foundation for help.
• Ask your professors for help.
• ASK FOR HELP! There are so many people who want to help you succeed. If you need help, just ask.
• We're all still learning, and it's okay to need help. 
• And let's be real we sometimes all need an "adultier adult"

You know yourself better than anyone else. Know your limits, and know when you need to take a step back to take care of yourself. If you know of ways to take care of yourself that aren't on this list, do that! Just make sure to take the time to take care of yourself because you only have one body, and one life.