Practicing Self-Care During the Pandemic

The pandemic has caused huge alterations and also challenges in our lives. Some of your
classes may still be online or hybrid mode and you have plans for completing a specific class or
it was cancelled. You’re probably also worried for the health of your loved ones or yourself.
These are understandably stressful and it's very normal to feel anxious, frightened, even angry or
other emotions you may experience right now. The stress of the pandemic makes it very crucial
to practice self care and hopefully some tips can help you during school and in the midst of the
pandemic.
The first tip is to adopt mindfulness and different relaxation techniques. It's hard enough
that we are still trying to control the spread of COVID while struggling with schoolwork at the
same time. Do your favorite activities you loved (and still love) before and during the pandemic.
Whether it was working out, listening to your favorite music, taking the day off from doing
assignments or working on your favorite hobby (like watching Netflix for example— but not too
much, don't be like me), these activities can be very helpful to escape and clear your head for a
short period and alleviate stress.
Another tip: develop a healthy sleeping habit (yes go to sleep). Too many students are
honestly sleep deprived, which definitely takes a huge toll on both our physical and mental
health. We seem to have taken the slogan “hard work pays off” way too seriously. We now spend
so much time working with less time sleeping. Your body needs to rest and renew itself so make
sleep a priority every night. Daytime naps are also excellent for refreshing our body and
improving your concentration levels later in the day
Another helpful tip is to be social during school and after classes. I know most of us have
been socially awkward during the middle of the pandemic or find it a bit difficult to make more
friends but now more than ever, it’s important to take care of our social wellness, even as we
practice social distancing. Call, FaceTime, or a friend or family member everyday or attend
different activities after class or in between to take a breather. So many events throughout Penn
State have been a bit overwhelming but it's important to at least go to one per week to mingle
and make more friends to hang with later.
The last tip is to practice gratitude. Too often, we focus on the negatives while showing
little appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us. Show gratitude and appreciation for the little
gifts in life. Take time to be still and meditate more to relax every day at least. If you can adopt a
gratitude mindset, you are on your way to achieving the highest level of self-care. With little
steps towards doing things for YOU, you can alleviate the stress and worries from everyday life
gradually. It is important to learn about yourself, know yourself, and take care of yourself
because your health matters, especially your mental and physical well being.