As the midterm season begins (sadly yes, midterms are here), and homesickness sets in, self-care becomes more important in our everyday lives.

As college students, it's easy to get swept up in our academic and social lives. With paper deadlines, exams, and making time for all of the significant events in our lives, our own health gets placed in the back of our minds. But believe me, self-care needs to take priority in our lives. I was reminded of this earlier this week thanks to my great RA Tessa, so now I'm reminding all of you and passing along some of the best self-care tips for people like me who don't have a clue where to begin.

You are what you eat, so eat healthfully!

An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Switch the greasy foods like fries to foods you know are good for you. This is a huge step, so little by little, start incorporating this into your routine. Grab a fruit every time you leave the dining hall instead of dessert. Your body is a temple; treat it like one, and give your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs.

Exercise regularly!

This doesn't mean bulk up and live in the gym or try to lose weight, it simply means exercise is necessary for our wellbeing. There are numerous options for incorporating exercise into our daily routines. Take a stroll with friends or a hike on campus. Instead of taking the bus to class, walk. Do yoga in the morning if you don't want to leave the comfort of your room. Watch exercise videos from YouTube, grab some friends, and follow along! The important thing is to get your body up and moving!

Get seven to nine hours of sleep every night!

Whoever said sleep is for the weak obviously had too many espresso shots and was most likely lacking sleep. Sleep is for the strong minded people. There are so many reasons why sleeping is important in our lives. Set a routine schedule, it will make getting up for those 8 a.m. classes much less painful!

Write in a journal every day!

Write about how your day was. Write about your experiences (both bad and good) and what you feel. Write about the cute deer you saw in the forest. Writing will help you, believe me. There have been many studies done in which it was proven that writing every day is beneficial and improves your mental health.

Take the time to do and be with the people you love!

Make time for yourself! Do what you love! Volunteer at a charity of your choice or read the book that has been sitting on your shelf. Do what you love! You are important. Listen to your favorite songs on replay. Socialize with friends or strangers. Call your mom because she misses you and you miss her, too. Stay connected to your friends from back home and at school! Keep all your own needs in mind and follow them. Feel like going to the beach? Go and enjoy yourself (take your book or journal with you!) Laugh at funny videos! Laugh as much as you possibly can!

Meditate, Pray, Reflect

Whatever you believe in, take the time to practice it. Give yourself time to connect with your spirituality and your inner self. This simple, yet effective tactic, helps you to relieve stress and focus your mind.

• Meditation teaches us that we are not our thoughts.
• Meditation helps us to become more aware.
• Meditation can make us more compassionate and self-compassionate.

Let go of anything negative in your life, anything that is weighing you down. Focus on being the best version of yourself.

Remember that in order to save the world, we must first save ourselves. Think of self-care as self-compassion. Give yourself plenty of sunshine and love every day.