It’s the end of the second week of the semester. Assignments are piling up, and monthly schedules are becoming increasingly packed. Sleep deprivation is looming ominously on the horizon, and resolutions already fled out the window. The mere question “do you want to go out tonight?” is exhausting and panic inducing. You can tell you’re in for the long haul, but all is not lost. If this sounds familiar, you’ve come to the right place! Below are some tips for self-care that will (hopefully) help everything feel less overwhelming this month.
1. Make your bed in the mornings, and try not to do homework there during the day.
Bed is comfy. Really comfy, especially when your dorm chair is missing cushions and tips ominously far back every time you sit down. Unfortunately, that still doesn’t make it a good place for productivity. It’s really easy to get distracted amidst heaps of blankets and stuffed animals. The temptation to close your eyes “for just five minutes” inevitably leads to hour-long naps and two more hours of watching YouTube breaks. Save bed for sleeping.
2. Be mindful of what you’re eating.
This sounds really obvious, but it’s easy to let nutrition slide when you get busy. It’s all too easy to grab a box of Cheez-its or a slice of pizza on autopilot and count that as “lunch,” but our body needs more solid nutrition. Try throwing in some vegetables or fruit with your go-to favorites, and drink a little water instead of soda or coffee as a mid-day refresh.
3. Take half an hour before bed to unwind.
Sleeping with a hyperactive brain is never fun. You wake up even more tired than you were the night before, making the day a complete slog. If you try to sleep when you’re still focused on all the stuff you didn’t finish during the day, you’ll never rest properly. Carve yourself out a little time to lay down with a good book or some coloring. Turn off your phone, and just clear your mind. When your eyes can’t stay open any longer, turn off the lights, pull up the covers, and drift into peaceful slumber that’ll help you feel great come morning.
4. Make a care kit that’s somewhere easily accessible
Take time to put together a little box full of things that are bound to make you feel better. Some common things include snacks, gum, fuzzy socks, blankets, stuffed animals, phone numbers for your best friends, names of your favorite songs, and inspirational quotes. I’ve noticed that making a cup of warm chamomile tea (definitely recommend the Celestial Seasonings one with vanilla in it) can also help me feel less anxious in the evenings.
5. Create something
It doesn’t matter how bad your drawings skills are, or if you can’t bake to save your life. Even if the finished product looks like an absolute mess, taking time to indulge your creative side can be an immense relief. Depending what you end up doing, you might even have something you can look at a few weeks later and still feel proud of!
