APU students share their favorite self care tips
It’s that time of the semester that every college student dreads: finals month. As APU students start preparing themselves with their final projects, papers and exams, they find themselves getting worn out. Most college students deal with this stress in unhealthy ways such as consuming high amounts of energy drinks, pulling all-nighters and waiting until the last minute to get work done.
For the next three weeks I will be providing some of my best health self-care tips and include fellow APU student opinions on how to nurture your emotional, physical and spiritual well-being to help with finals.
Go Outside and Smell the Daisies
After being stuck in my room for hours, the atmosphere begins to get stuffy and claustrophobic. I notice that I begin to get irritable and distracted. That’s why going outside to get some fresh air is important. A change of scenery can help with creative flow. Plus, breathing in some outdoor oxygen always helps with relieving stress and tension.
“When I feel overwhelmed while studying, I make sure to go on a nature walk,” said sophomore film major Misha Edwards. “Something about breathing in the fresh air inspires me to keep studying.”
Get Your Body Moving
Whether it’s weightlifting, dancing, riding a skateboard or doing yoga, your body needs movement. After being stuck in a chair for so long, your body is going to get tense and begin to shut down. That’s why doing any kind of activity that involves motion will help shake off any tension stored up in our body.
“I definitely try to make sure that I get physical energy out cause otherwise I think that gets really pent up and turns into a lot of anxiety,” said sophomore journalism major Simone Poole. “I like to go on bike rides.”
Get Rest
Whether taking a quick power nap or getting more than 8 hours of sleep, rest is critical for concentration. I know as college students we tend to pull all-nighters to get everything done, but that always backfires the next day. Instead of staying up all night, try waking up early to get work done. This will give you more time in the morning to be productive and more time to sleep at night.
“It’s very important that I listen to my body if it needs rest,” said Cox. “Making time for an appropriate amount of sleep is key for me.”
Reward Yourself with Breaks
Everytime I am studying I try to tell myself that if I get a certain amount of work done by a certain time I will be rewarded with something I like. Usually this motivates me and gives me a challenge to want to finish studying. Breaks are a necessity for us to recharge our mind and energy. So after an hour of writing a paper I will give myself a 10 minute break to be creative and paint. This helps my brain let out any built-up stress that I have from working for such a long time.
“I always try to look forward to some kind of reward each time I take a break,” said senior allied health major Christina Silveira. “I usually do face masks, watch youtube videos or anything that’s mindless fun.”