Ramping up some savvy self-care skills before beginning college means students are ready to use them when they hit their new campus. Many anxieties may be present before leaving home, and some unexpected stressors may be waiting after the semester begins. Learning what to expect, and what to do about stressful pop-up issues, means acting from a place of power and readiness. Collegiate IOP Tracks make sure the all-important self-care skills are in-place and meaningful.
Many college students worry that practicing self-care is either selfish or uncool. In fact, the words “self-care” and “college student” aren’t always phrases that are used together. Self-care actually improves success, not only in academic life, but also in taking on extracurricular college life feeling healthy and well.
Standout Self-Care
Self-care means taking a holistic approach to feeling great. Self-care means understanding what personal wellness feels like and then choosing activities that promote those feelings. Not an easy mission for a college student who is ready to pack each day full of new experiences. Eating right and getting enough rest pretty much get pushed to the bottom of the backpack. The benefits often get overlooked, such as higher grades, better creative and sports performance, weight management and fewer colds and minor illnesses that often plague tired and over-busy college students.
Finding a personal palette of self-care activities is important. These should include something from each of these categories:
- Daily de-stressing (sports, journaling, taking time to play)
- Healthy Friendships (socializing and mutual support)
- Time management (learning to balance academic and social obligations reduces stress)
- Relax, breathe or meditate (great for test prep and immediate stress-busting)
- Eat well (a particular area of concern for college students with eating disorders)
- Sleep well (not just how many hours, but how many quality hours)
The secret to self-care is accepting that what makes our friends thrive may not be what makes us feel well. Self-care is all about pushing our own personal wellness buttons; more particularly the ones that make us feel great! Sometimes knowing which self-care techniques to choose requires some focused introspection, and some professional guidance.
[cta]Take part in our Collegiate IOP track and create your own powerhouse self-care skill set! Call our intake coordinators to find out more about this exciting program or fill out the forms to request more information by email. [/cta]
