College students are often told to practice “self-care,” and honestly, it makes sense. Students constantly struggle so much with managing their different responsibilities that their health and well-being usually become less of a priority. This leads to stress, anxiety, exhaustion and mental burnouts. Speaking from personal experience, self-care helps deal with all of these issues and even more importantly, it helps people feel at ease.
I came to realize the above statement when I made a life-changing choice this past winter break. I vowed to take better care of myself. From that moment on, I adopted a healthier lifestyle. I exercised, ate smaller portions, read and reflected on past mistakes that I made. I started treating myself better, which is the main idea behind self-care: Love yourself so much that you treat yourself better and feel better.
Below you will find a list of self-care techniques with a small description. I personally do most of these methods, but self-care looks different for everyone. Hopefully they help!
1. Schedule a Doctor’s Appointment—It’s good to know where your health stands. You might have a vitamin deficiency, who knows?

2. Exercise—I was not fit at all when I first started, and that’s okay. I walked for half an hour at a pace of three miles per hour on the treadmill and slowly worked myself up. It took me about two weeks to get to five mph.

3. Eat a Well-Balanced Meal—Add some vegetables to your plate. Maybe drink apple or orange juice. Eat fruit.

4. Take a Hot Shower—This one is self-explanatory. I would just say to take your time. Maybe play music to spice it up.

5. Read—I would recommend easy reads, like those page-turners that let you escape from reality for a bit and immerse yourself in a world of entertaining drama.

6. Draw—For this one, I would recommend standing in front of the mirror and sketching yourself. When you sketch, really look at yourself. Notice the small details. Notice the lines and shades. Try to be as accurate as possible. Also, don’t be afraid to erase!

7. Clean your Room—I usually find that a person’s room reflects their mental state of being. If you clean and organize your room the way you want, you’ll feel a sense of order, and it’s nice to have something in order when life can get messy.

8. Decorate your Walls—I put up pictures and inspirational quotes. I also made a wall of inspirational women of color. My decorations remind me to keep pushing forward.

9. Dress Up—By dress up, I mean at your discretion. Wear whatever makes you feel empowered and good-looking. Don’t worry what other people might think or say. Usually, they’ll give you compliments because they see that radiant smile that shows you feel good.

10. Self-dates—Go out, walk, explore… just go out somewhere by yourself!

11. Watch a Movie or TV Show—Relax and watch some TV.