It is no secret that college life is, to put it simply, a stressful experience. Balancing school with the real world can be overwhelming, and with the additional pressures of a University Honors Program, it can feel exhausting and insurmountable. Pile on the added stress of dealing with an outside world just starting to recover from the pandemic that has devastated the world, it's no surprise that more people than ever are feeling overwhelmed. But despite all of this, students are finding ways to thrive. It’s a common sight around Los Cerritos Hall to see Honors students relaxing with friends, studying together, or simply enjoying themselves and taking time to relax. Practicing self-care is crucial, especially in this transitional time. Taking the time to step back from the mounting pressures of Honors classes and workload scheduling to prioritize mental health is key to staying healthy, avoiding burnout, and remaining sane as the world constantly changes around us.
Self-care is a diverse practice. It has to be, in order to truly achieve the goal of caring for oneself. Despite this fact, the discussion of self-care is often centered around a very specific look: influencers lounging around in face masks or celebrities talking about setting aside full days to do nothing. When I first started practicing self-care strategies I was trying to follow this strict model of self-care that I saw presented to me online. I was so focused on the idea that this was what worked for other people that I forgot to stop and ask myself what worked for me. Instead of helping me, my first ventures into “self-care days” ended up hurting me, leaving me restless and adding to my stress. It wasn’t until I took a step back and analyzed how I was caring for myself, that I found out I hadn’t really been practicing self-care at all.
Getting out of this habit took some practice - trial and error of reading blog posts and watching youtube vlogs to find what worked for me. I spent my time in lockdown perfecting my practices of self care and finding what that looked like for me amidst online classes and being stuck at home. But now that things have started to slowly return to some semblance of normal I have found myself in another transitional period where I have to figure out, yet again, what caring for myself looks like. This time however, instead of being isolated, I am surrounded by a community of UHP students and faculty. Now, self-care for me looks like stepping away from the computer to re-read my favorite manga, or going on a walk outside my dorm to get some fresh air. But as I stated before, self-care is diverse and full of variety. My own experiences are not indicative of all the UHP students out there, each one of us has our own unique experiences.
Reaching out to other Honors students about their self-care strategies emphasized this individuality in my mind. Students sent back answers detailing the different ways they stepped away and practiced self-care, and how it had changed for them throughout the past year. From baking to painting, nature walks to youtube videos, the list of coping skills and self-care strategies was as varied as the people I asked. I was discovering self-care strategies I hadn’t really thought about before - one student described how they de-stressed by playing puzzle games with their friends, while another detailed her early-morning exercise routine she follows, and yet another replied with a long list of video games he liked to turn to in order to step back from class work.
The list of self-care strategies I received back from my classmates was not the only aspect of self-care that varied - each person I asked had their own definition of what it meant to them. For some it was a way to destress, or connect with the community around them, or simply be kind to themself in the face of mounting pressure. But for everyone it was uniquely personal, highly individualized and meaningful. So many responses echoed my experiences back to me - of finding ways to care for themselves in new ways as the world changed around us, of taking this transitional period in our lives and turning it into a chance to explore mental health and wellness in unique ways. I was surprised to see my own journey reflected by the responses I received, and it was these answers that made me reconsider yet again what self-care looks like in our current times.
Opening up the discussion about the reality of self-care and what it looks like for each individual has always been important, but it feels especially pertinent now. We as students are all stuck in between multiple different worlds right now: the “real” world and school life, pre- and post- pandemic living, and our own individual transitions into fully realized adulthood. Stress is high for all students right now, and UHP students are no exception. But reflecting on the responses provided by my peers, as well as reflecting on my own experiences, has convinced me more than ever of the importance of self-care.
Self Care Strategies from Honors Students
Baking
Biking
Dancing
Coloring
Going on nature walks
Reading
Painting
Talking with friends
Doing a spa day
Watching Youtube videos
Practicing nail art
Doing makeup
Yoga
Meditation
Sleeping
Crocheting
Sewing
Making bracelets
Listening to music
Playing games with friends
Watching TV
Writing
Practicing instruments
Going for a swim
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