By Helen Dang
As a third-year Brooklyn College undergraduate, I’ve struggled with self care at times while juggling college courses, being a Reading Fellow, and dealing with other responsibilities. I would sometimes feel overwhelmed and doubt myself. However, I am working on taking better care of myself one step at a time – which would help me take care of business outside of school and be my best self with friends and family members.
So what is self care? Self care is knowing that you are human and have limitations. It’s knowing how to take care of yourself like you would look after a friend. It is doing things for yourself to avoid burnout and fatigue, which means getting around 7-8 hours of a good night’s sleep. Rolling into bed at around 10-11 p.m. is best, but falling asleep at that time was difficult for me.
Nevertheless, it was essential for me to follow this sleeping schedule if I wanted to have a good, daily routine involving a good day at school or work. A good amount of sleep will rest your body as well as your mind.
Self care could also mean feeding yourself with proper nutrients to function. You could bring healthy snacks or full meals with you to work or school.
The food, though, should be your favorite healthy foods that you enjoy eating. Sometimes unhealthy food for cheat days can help cope with emotions on a bad day, which is fine as long as you’re also practicing self forgiveness.
Self care is finding a way to destress throughout the day, not just when you leave work or school. This means taking time to rest your mind and body during the day by taking breaks, no matter how short, to stay refreshed.
These breaks involve stretching, taking a brief walk, getting yourself a drink of water, chatting with a friend, getting in touch with loved ones even if its through text, or just looking at photos that make you happy.
Self care could also be identifying what you enjoy doing, and incorporating it into your daily routines. Find new things outside of your studies or work, such as writing, dancing, art, music, hiking, learning new languages, hanging with friends or communities, or reading a new book. This can also be extended to more spiritual forms of self care, which include meditation, yoga, prayer, reading, or attending religious services.
Personally, my favorite one from the list is reading and listening to something inspirational. I enjoy reading self-development books, and I love listening to Spotify podcasts like Oprah’s “Super Soul,” Brene Brown’s “Dare to Lead,”and “Unlocking Us.” The podcasts are so interesting, and feed my soul and fill my brain with information.
Finally, self care is knowing that you are the person that’s responsible of taking care of yourself! It is to love yourself, flaws and all. It is to do your best to not engage in negative inner talk, and provide yourself positive inner talk instead. Engaging in self care helps to improve your confidence while creating a happier and healthier you.