7 Self-Care Tips for College Students

By: Leonie Duarte

Attending college while being an active participant in social media where everyone’s life always looks perfectly curated can be extremely stressful and discouraging and can make you feel guilty for spending some time on yourself. Instagram doesn’t show the late nights cramming at 4 am or the long lectures or the lack of good food. Although it may seem impossible to find time for yourself, I found seven ways to treat myself during my hectic months in college. 

  1. 5 Minute Reflection 

Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed, I like to go to the park, sit down on a bench, turn my phone off, and just breath. I take five to ten minutes to reflect on my week or day and put things in perspective to help me feel more in control of all the deadlines and work! 

  1. Cooking a Nice Meal 

I go through times where I only eat peanut butter out of the jar for dinner because I don’t have the time to pick up dinner or make something so when I have the time, I like to find a recipe that reminds me of home and enjoy the cooking process! 

  1. Weekly Dinner with a Friend 

My best friend and I run on completely different schedules so it’s hard to spend quality time with each other. We decided that every Sunday night, regardless of whether it’s raining or how much homework we may have, we find a new restaurant we haven’t tried and have a long dinner together where we catch up and plan out our next week. 

  1. Play the Sims 4 

When I feel like I am losing control of things (i.e. the train being late, deadlines stacking up, losing my favorite sunglasses), I like to just play the Sims and create a character with a specific storyline which I feel gives me at least some sense of control over something! 

  1. Go Stationery Shopping 

When I feel unmotivated to do my homework or start a project, a trip to Muji or a cute stationery store for some cute pens or notebooks helps me get organized and motivated to start my essays! 

  1. Doing My Makeup 

When I feel like I need extra TLC, I like to make time for myself to do my makeup, and I don’t mean the “5-minute-quick-no-makeup” makeup, I mean like take a full hour to do your “euphoria-inspired” makeup and appreciate yourself! 

  1. Journal 
I also like to write down my feelings or experiences when I feel anxious or I feel like I can’t communicate my feelings to another person. It’s another great way to reflect on yourself!