I used to think about“self care” as a day of treating myself to a relaxing spa day and special treats. This view prioritizes material things and experiences rather than my actual mental and physical health. 

There has been a shift in the mentality recently regarding what “self care” really means. Self care literally means to care for yourself by doing – and deliberately not doing- things to improve your wellbeing. Self care looks like building the relationship we have with ourselves and with those who are close to us with intention and making sure those relationships are sustainable. Self care practices look different for everyone; there is no “one size fits all” solution. 

A good practice to help start and maintain self care is to start with yourself. The relationship you have with yourself dictates how you have relationships with others. 

In college you may be having a hard time finding time for yourself, or being able to do the things that were a part of your self care routine at home. While traditional self care activities such as eating healthy, working out, and getting enough sleep can help you cope with stress and anxiety, here are some ways that you can prioritize your wellness while you are here at Miami.

1. Prioritize time management

This is a preventative measure that helps to manage your stress and to develop and maintain a routine. Making detailed to-do lists, protecting scheduled study time, and knowing your schedule boundaries helps you to stay on top of your classes and activities. Getting a handle on time management and not letting things pile up will not only help you at Miami, but set you up for long-term success. Also be sure to build regular self care time into your schedule to make it a priority. It should not feel selfish to take time for yourself or to prioritize your own mental and physical health. 

This is one of the most important things in my self care routine. I spend time each weekend planning out my upcoming week and I schedule time for homework, time to exercise, and I take note of periods of freetime that I can leave open to hang out with my friends.  

2. Surround yourself with supportive people

Connection to others is key to your overall wellness. When you find yourself struggling with motivation, or mental health you should reach out to your support system of friends, roommates, or family for support. When you are surrounded by others who are experiencing or who have experienced the same feelings as you, it makes communication about mental health and other challenging topics easier. On Miami’s campus you can join student organizations, study groups, greek life, or even a counseling group at the Student Counseling Center to surround yourself with supportive allies. 

3. Be ok with saying NO

Coming to college can come with an overwhelming expectation that you need to see everything, do everything, and know everyone. Overcoming the fear of missing out or FOMO is hard for college students. However, with packed schedules full of assignments, classes, club meetings, intramural sports, and jobs, learning to prioritize some things and say no to others is a useful tool. Ask yourself “do I really need to upset the flow of my essay to go uptown or should I keep working?” or “should I go hang out with my friends when I am sick or should I take a nap?” Being assertive and courteous and setting healthy boundaries with peers, supervisors, and friends are ways to effectively say no without feeling guilty. Establishing these boundaries helps you to maintain time for yourself and make sure you have time to stay on top of your school work. 

This was a hard lesson to learn for me because I love to spend time with my friends and I tend to lose track of time when my friends and I hang out. I overcame this by making sure to prioritize my schedule where I built in time for friends and being disciplined enough to say no and keep my work more important than pleasures. 

Grace Cooper