College is new. College is exciting. College is full of opportunities. But if college is anything, it's stressful. With the piles of homework, upcoming and overlapping projects in the back of my mind, and the developing of friends and relationships, I often catch myself neglecting the self-care I need.

It's unfortunate that we need to be reminded to do these things (myself included), but sometimes things get a little crazy. Here are five things we, as college students, should do to keep our mental and physical health in check during the moments of chaos:

1. Make sure to eat.

While this shouldn’t be something we have to remind ourselves to do, our days can get so crazy that we forget to eat enough. In the past week or so, I've caught myself realizing that I only ate a smoothie or a piece of toast for half the day. I just get so caught up with projects, studying and classes that my hunger isn’t the first thing I pay attention to. Forgetting to feed myself is absolutely not OK. Fellow college students: EAT.

2. Sleep should be a priority.

Let's be honest, 8 a.m. classes suck. After my classes of the day, I have a bunch of homework to catch up on that pretty much takes up the rest of my day. Don't try to be that person who gets everything done on four hours of sleep. Aim for at least seven or eight every night. I find that after an early day of classes, taking a somewhat smallish nap helps me regroup and regain more energy in order to finish my homework for the night.

Be sure to set an alarm if you're going to nap though – it doesn't help you focus on your homework if you wake up feeling like you got run over by a truck. Don't take a nap for over an hour or else you might feel worse and more tired than you did before.

3. Take time for yourself.

Sometimes, it's hard to take a step back and give yourself a break. Go for a walk or spend some time just blasting music in your headphones. For me, it's hard to take breaks from homework and actually enjoy them because I know the stuff I have to do will still be there when I come back from my break. But I've learned that if you don't give yourself time to just stare at the TV or watch random YouTube videos, you will go insane.

4. Have a good cry every once in a while.

For me, crying is such a good release. If I don't cry once in a while, I know all of my feelings will soon blow up. That's why I allow myself to cry over projects, boys and homesickness every so often. After I let it all go, I really do feel a difference. My roommates are pretty on board with it. Sometimes we'll have crying sessions (don't judge). It's good for you so long as it's not an everyday thing.

5. Call a family member once a week.

I surpass this recommendation, because I pretty much call my mom, dad, brother or sister all the time. But for those of you who might not have much time, make time for at least one phone call a week. Hearing a familiar voice really does help with the stress and keeps you grounded. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I make a note to go out to my car and call a family member to vent to. And not only that, I just love hearing their voices.

Fellow college students, I know this is about the time of the semester when projects begin overlapping and there's just way too much on your to-do list. But taking time to care for yourself is so important. I know how easy it is to forget, and this is why I made this list for you... and for me.

Please, friends, show yourself some love and remember that your mental and physical health should always be #1.