College is comes with all kinds of stress: the stress of midterms, stress of relationships, stress of running to make it to the dining hall before it closes. Stress surrounds you and there’s little you can do to control it because it’s just a part of college, but you can control how you react to the stress. Now halfway through my first year of college, I’ve definitely experienced my fair share of stress and here are some ways I practice self care and deal with the stress!
- Face masks: Okay this sounds super stereotypically girly, but it is so relaxing to be able to sit back and enjoy treating your skin after a long day. It really leaves me refreshed and ready to get back to work. It’s a quick 10-15 minutes that could make all the difference. I love doing this with my roommates because it gives us all a chance to quickly catch up and look silly together. I recommend sheet masks if you’re scared to try face masks because it’s literally a thin sheet that has serums soaked in it. It’s easy to apply and easy to take off, plus they’re pretty affordable. I bought a pack of 24 on Amazon for $12 and it’s been more than six months but I barely finished half of them. Give this a try!
- Spontaneous Dining Hall runs: Personally, studying drains my energy, so after a couple hours of studying, I’ll grab some hallmates and we’ll go to Pippins together really quick just to get our legs moving and take a little break. A soft serve cone can temporarily relieve some stress! As a freshman, you already pay for the dining hall! So take advantage of it as much as you can.
- Nap: Naps are essential to college. Everyone naps. Whether it’s a 10 minute power nap or an indulgent 2 hour nap, naps help you recharge and can make you way more productive! When you’re running on little sleep, sure you can be studying for hours, but it’ll be hard to retain anything. Listen to your body! If it’s saying you need a nap, take one. But remember to set an alarm because you still need to get work done!
These are some of my tried and tested ways of taking care of myself and relieving stress. In all honesty, academics are important and you should study really hard for all your exams, but in the long run, it’s way more important to take care of yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically. Make sure to take care of yourself!