This post is all about self care ideas for college students.
You have a lot on your plate right now. You’ve got tons of homework to stress out about getting done on time and you’re studying at the last minute no matter how many times you tell yourself you’ll start earlier next time.
But, this post is all about getting your mind off the things that stress you out and onto the things that you can do to help yourself out in the moment. Transitioning from high school to college is difficult.
Even if you’re a few years into college, you have to continue learning new skills to stay on top of the work. So, let’s talk through some tips to prioritize your mental health when it feels like the last thing you have time for.
This post is all about self care ideas for college students.
BEST SELF CARE IDEAS
FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS:
1. Get enough sleep
Sleep is the first thing to go when you’re in school and have deadlines coming up. But, that also means that you’re giving your body less energy to study effectively, focus on finishing assignments, and stay awake during class.
Schedule in your sleep just like you do your classes to make sure your 7-8 hours don’t go anywhere. As tempting as it is, living off of coffee isn’t the way to get through college when you can relax your body for a solid night’s sleep.
2. Drink plenty of water
Get yourself that cute bottle and keep it filled. Hopefully, there are lots of filtered water-bottle-filling stations on your campus. If there aren’t, you can always opt for a Brita bottle that will filter any water you drink, so you can stay extra hydrated.
Before you get overwhelmed by the experts telling you to drink tons of water a day, keep drinking water. Remember that the more you drink, the healthier you’ll be, so work on upping your intake rather than stressing over reaching the amount you’re supposed to drink.
3. Take breaks
Plan breaks into your study and homework sessions. Whether they’re ten minutes or twenty (or you use the Pomodoro method), you’ll notice how much easier it becomes to focus when you have a light at the end of the tunnel.
Plus, planning breaks into your days makes it easier to keep yourself from taking unexpected breaks and procrastinating.
Breaks are one of the most important self care ideas for college students because they keep you on track without making you do impossible things like stay up four days in a row or live on coffee.
4. Practice yoga or meditation
Take the time to do things that have nothing to do with being a student. Yoga and meditation will help you be a better student, more present for your classes and enjoy your student life more, but they are there to help you practice self care.
Yoga and meditation are simple, accessible self care ideas for college students. You can find guided classes in both online and engage in relaxation mode wherever you are.
5. Exercise regularly
Get your body moving on top of everything else it’s doing. You’re making your body juggle a lot, from stress to sleepless nights, and it also deserves to feel good. So, find some exercise that makes you feel good.
Do it at least a few times a week to make sure you stay in motion. It might feel pointless in the beginning, but the more you keep up, the more you’ll realize it boosts your mood and gives you some time to be something other than a student.
6. Connect with friends
Hang out. Take a night off when you can afford to do that. Reward yourself by connecting with people around you and developing real friendships. College life is all about learning how balance life when you’re on your own for the first official time in your life.
So, take time to make connections with people around you while making sure that those connections benefit you. Find people who have the same academic goals, people who will study with you or do homework with you.
7. Take a mental health day
Everyday feels important in college. You’re either missing out on hanging with friends or you’re missing out on going to a club meeting or you’re missing out on time to do homework.
This all makes it easy to forget that you owe yourself time to unwind take time off. You can’t always afford to take time off and it’s stressful to even consider it during times like finals or midterms.
But, that’s a sign that you need to put yourself first so you have something to give when the time comes. You’re learning how to balance everything, and you might fail. Keep that in mind as you figure out how to take care of yourself with all of the responsibilities you’re handling.
8. Write in a journal
Get our your Notes app, a journal, or a Google Doc and start writing. You’re going through a lot and a journal will help you process everything. Journal without an agenda. Write down what you’re thinking and do it for at least five minutes.
If you hate it to start off, commit to five minutes a day and go from there. Give it a try before you drop it. Do it for a week, five minutes a day.
9. Practice gratitude
When you need to change up your perspective, list three things you’re grateful for. Think big, think small, and think right now. Not only does this help you reflect on your life, but it reminds you that there are good things in your life.
You may have failed a test, but you got an A on that essay. Or you went to your professor and talked about next steps. You have a lot of good in your life, and sometimes, as a college, student, you just need a reminder.
10. Try a new hobby
Do something different, maybe even something out of your comfort zone. College is one of the best times to try a new hobby because you’ll have plenty of resources to try it out. You can join a club or organization with other people who enjoy it.
Plus, it’s a great way to take time off of school and remember that you’re a person before you’re a student. So, you deserve to try other things and not think only about school.
11. Take a nap
Sometimes, you just force yourself to stay awake. So, it’s okay to give in a take a nap every now and then. Give your body the rest it needs because that’s how you’re going to make your studying and homework time effective.
We’ve all been there. We read the same paragraph ten times before we end up falling asleep and still don’t know what it says. This when a twenty-minute power nap comes in handy. Set a timer and an intention to make the most of your rest and wake up engerized.
12. Get outside
Change it up and get outside. Go for a walk, hike with friends, or sit in a green space. You can take your homework with your or leave in your home to keep this stress-free.
Take in your surroundings and be fully present. Count how many colors you see, identify three sounds, feel the plants around you. When you go outside, take the time to appreciate it. Breathe in the air and give yourself a well-deserved break.
13. Eat a balanced diet
It sounds terrifying and overwhelming. All it really means is get some nutritious foods in your diet like fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about doing your best to eat fresh foods that you enjoy in addition to processed foods.
Eat comfort food. You’re allowed to eat things that make you feel good mentally and emotionally without letting that impact your energy level or how good you feel physically.
14. Practice good hygiene
Wash your face when you wake up in the morning. Take a shower when you’re done with class for the day. Remember to brush your teeth.
Take care of yourself and maintain good hygiene so that you can feel good and clean out the outside. By taking care of your basic needs, you free yourself up to excel in other areas and place all your attention on other tasks like homework and studying.
15. Treat yourself to something special
Do something you don’t normally do, either because of time or budget. Everything is okay in moderation and you deserve to have a planned-out treat for yourself.
Avoid letting this become more frequent than you can afford, but enjoy it whenever you have the time and money. Think about getting a massage, going to a movie, or going out to eat.
16. Schedule downtime
Find time in your day or week, depending on which is more realistic and works for you, and do something you enjoy. It can be completely free and easy like going to the beach, walking around the mall with friends, or watching your favorite show.
As hard as you’re working during college, you need to take some time to enjoy your life. College is an important time to learn both inside and outside the classroom, but none of it really matters if you’re not appreciating being alive.
17. Disconnect from technology
Turn off your phone, shut your laptop, and turn off the TV. This is your time to ignore social media and the doom scroll. You can use this time for studying or you can just do some de-stressing activities that don’t involve technology like drawing, reading, or writing.
We all know how draining yet addicting social media is, so let’s take care of ourselves and notice when we need a digital detox.
18. Take a hot bath
Take a hot bath if you have access. But, if you live in a dorm, you can either do a spa day or get a shower diffuser and enjoy a nice, warm shower. While it can annoying to live with a bunch of other people, remember that you have lots of ways to “protect your peace.”
Two of those ways is by keeping your space clean and capitalizing on your alone time. Showering counts and can be a great reset for you. So, let’s not waste water, but try to be present when you’re showering and feel the water hit your skin and relax your muscles.
19. Listen to music
Put on that playlist and enjoy it. Dance it out, sing along. The great part about this self care idea is that you can do it for as little time as you want or as long as you want. You can do it anywhere that you feel comfortable. You can even involve other people if you want.
You might use this as one of your study breaks to take your mind off of whatever you’re studying or working on.
20. Watch a funny movie or TV show
Laugh along to a comedy special. Find a sitcom you enjoy and watch a few episodes. Go for that tried and true hilarious movie that gets you sobbing from laughter every time.
Laughing is the best medicine, as they say. And, if you’ve ever laughed so much you couldn’t breathe, you know that it is. Obviously, it won’t fix any of the problems you’re dealing with, but it will remind you what it feels like to enjoy your life and look at the bigger picture.
21. Volunteer
Help others. There are plenty of volunteer orgs on your campus, so find one of them that calls to you and work with them. You can also go off campus and work with groups or nonprofits that share your values.
No matter how much time you have, you’ll feel so much better when you give some of that time to someone else. Even if you give an hour a week, you’ll get a sense of purpose that will help keep the rest of your life on the track you want.
