By Megan Krueger
The end of the semester is finally upon us, and let’s be honest—no one is prioritizing their health right now. But in this season of stressing over upcoming exams and praying that you’ve achieved a passing grade on your final papers, there has never been a more important time to prioritize your self care. You probably already know from experience that the more precedence you give your mental and physical wellbeing, the more productive and energetic you’ll be—but of course, this is much easier said than done. As students, we don’t exactly have the down time for luxurious spa days and a full eight hours of sleep. And so, with that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of ten self-care activities that can easily be incorporated into your school schedule so that you can feel your best during finals.
Schedule in time for a nap.
For many of us, the first thing that gets dropped when a test is looming is sleep. While an afternoon nap might not stand in for a full-night’s sleep lost pulling an all-nighter, at the very least you can rest your eyes and your mind before jumping back into a study session. While it might not sound productive, I would dare to say that one of the smartest things I’ve done this semester is clearing an hour to take a nap when I really need it.
Get some fresh air.
While we had some beautiful warm weather right up to Thanksgiving Break, it’s finally worked its way into wintertime. I get it—it’s much easier to stay inside where it’s warm and toasty and avoid the cold. Even so, on nicer days, taking a short walk outdoors just for the sake of breathing in the fresh air can serve as a complete mental reset.
Take the evening off.
Yeah, you heard me. You can only be productive for so long before your brain needs a break. So take an evening to do anything other than homework: hang out with friends, watch a movie you’ve been dying to see, or just go to bed super early. You’ll be all the more ready to get back into schoolwork the next day.
Or, take an entire day off.
Sometimes one night isn’t enough and you need more time to just let your hair down and put your feet up. Finding one day over the weekend to do exactly this is perfectly okay, especially if you’re a workaholic. Sleep in, order food, just be lazy! Or alternatively, take the day to go out and do something just for fun. You owe it to yourself.
Go to the gym.
Sweat the stress away.
Prioritize your personal hygiene.
This is another thing that’s quick to get dropped when your mind is on other things. But I really can’t stress the importance of hygiene enough, especially during busy and stressful weeks. Taking the time to take care of yourself is critical when it comes to feeling your best. Personally, I like to take a night where I take a couple of hours to shower, apply my skincare, and basically treat myself to a mini-spa night. But if this isn’t something you have time for, then at the very least still make sure to shower and brush and floss your teeth (I mean it).
Put together a calendar of upcoming due dates.
This is an item that doubles as a study hack and self-care: having a master schedule of every single due date for the rest of the semester is super useful for time management. A plan like this can help you figure out when to begin assignments and ensures that nothing will be forgotten. Just the act of making a plan can be an immediate weight off your shoulders!
Treat yourself to your favorite food.
If we’re being brutally honest, sustaining yourself purely on dining hall cuisine can take away your will to live. While the most important thing is making sure you’re getting balanced meals, sometimes it’s necessary to splurge on something you actually really want to eat.
Schedule a cleaning day.
The one nice thing about living in a dorm or apartment is that the relatively small square footage makes it easy to clean quickly. Take a day to organize your workspace, vacuum, and do the laundry you’ve been putting off. I know it’s hard to motivate yourself to do chores when you’re already overloaded with other responsibilities, but trust me: if you do it, you’ll feel better.
Take a dance break.
The last item on this list is by far my favorite. Sometimes you just need to do something silly and get a little serotonin boost to motivate yourself. Pretend you’re in a musical and sing and dance away all your worries. (My recommendations are anything by Abba, Cher, or Shakira, but take your pick).
OK, OK—maybe dance breaks and afternoon naps aren’t for you. Have no fear—I’ve still got you covered. Here are ten mini-self-care ideas ranging from small shifts in stimuli to short study breaks that anyone can try, guaranteed to boost your energy (seriously, take it from someone who has tried every single one of these items in order to make sure they really work—they’re legit).
- Change your bed sheets.
- Change the amount of light in the room.
- Sleep with your head on the opposite side of the bed.
- Go to sleep really early and wake up in time to see the sunrise.
- Open a window.
- Take a five-minute break to watch a funny video.
- Sit on the floor instead of at a desk.
- Take a minute to stretch out your back, neck, and shoulders.
- One minute of mindful breathing exercise.
- Wear brighter colors than usual or switch up your wardrobe in another way.
(Because it’s cold out, I’ve been wearing fuzzy socks, and I feel a million times warmer inside and out).
So there you have it, folks. As college students, it can be difficult to incorporate stereotypical self-care activities into our daily lives because we don’t always have the time or the money, but I think that the above options are doable and honestly pretty fun. It’s always worth taking the time to focus on your wellbeing, even during the most hectic time of the semester. So with that in mind, do something nice for yourself today—and best of luck during finals week!
