While the term “self-care” is definitely a buzz word, there’s a lot more than buzz behind it. A movement to remind us all to slow down and pay attention to ourselves for a minute, adopting the right self-care habits can help you live a life that’s physically healthy, mentally healthy and balanced – the keys to staying productive and making the things you want for yourself happen.
College is a busy time. Well, that’s an understatement. Sometimes it’s busy, other times it’s just psychotic. We’ve all skipped a night or two of sleep cramming for finals. Or pulled a 14-hour day with a full load of classes and a shift at our part time job. And hey – it’s college; a lot of this stuff is just a reality.
But if you’re not paying attention to your personal maintenance, it’ll get overwhelming really quickly. And your GPA cannot afford a burnout. There are simple principles you can adopt that can help you manage stress, have fun, kill it at classes, and thrive during your time at OU. Here are 10 of our best self-care tips:
1. Drink more water. Seriously. Simply being dehydrated can make you drowsy and hurt your ability to concentrate. And we’re talking water. Coffee doesn’t count towards your daily tally.
2. Make sleep a priority. Sleep’s often the first thing we sacrifice when there aren’t enough hours in the day. But not getting enough sleep hurts everything from concentration to memory to your immune system, mood and more.
3. Exercise regularly. Moderate-to-vigorous exercise at least 3x per week can boost mood, memory, physical health, and immune function, keeping you energized and ready for the stress of mid-terms and the grossness of cold season.
4. Foster a support network. Whether it’s joining a student org, FaceTiming your sister twice a week, or having brunch with the clique on Saturdays, having people who know you and support you goes a long ways in terms of mental health and comfort.
5. Check in with your mental health often. Feeling like you need help occasionally throughout the year or want a weekly meeting to help you process life? OU’s student psych services are unmatched in terms of service, compassion and safety.
6. Take a moment. Have some quiet time each day. Even if it’s just 10 minutes that you sit still and try to empty your mind, stepping away from the day for a bit – physically and mentally – can give you the resources to zone back in and focus on the things you need to get done.
7. Keep a somewhat consistent routine. It helps your body and mind know what to expect each day, regulating your circadian cycle. It also helps you stay more organized with scheduling study sessions, keeping track of due dates, progress on projects, etc.
8. Clean more often. A cluttered, messy space isn’t only kind of gross, but it feeds back on your mental health. Tidy life, tidy mind, as they say. Taking care of your apartment is an extension of taking care of yourself.
9. Make your off-campus housing feel like home. Get some comfy pillows and blankets; hang string lights in the bedroom, hang pictures and other décor with Command strips, and stick some houseplants around the place. Personalizing your student apartment will make it more calming because it feels like your space.
10. Take care of yourself. That means keeping good hygiene and taking that hour-long shower when you’ve had a terrible Monday. It also means not skipping meals, and treating yourself every once in a while. And it means listening to what your body and your mind need, and giving yourself the grace and the space to make it happen.
Just as much as classes, work and social life are priorities, you should be one of your biggest priorities, too! Go ahead – grab yourself an order of O’Betty’s fries and binge the new episodes of YOU. Writing that paper later will hurt less.