Caring For Yourself During a Pandemic

Everyone is different, especially when it comes to how you take care of yourself. I know that for me and my friends, mental health means something different to each of us. For me, it can mean losing myself in one of my comfort books for a while (*cough* three hours *cough*), watching (i.e. crying over) cute animal videos, or taking a really long, hot shower while singing my lungs out and annoying my entire house (sorry ladies). For my roommate, it typically means curling up with a comfort movie and a face mask, also taking a really hot shower, or deep cleaning our house. For my best friend, it usually means scrolling through TikTok for a while and sending me the really funny ones that remind her of our shenanigans, calling me to sit on Facetime and do nothing, or going to annoy her roommate’s cat.

In times like this, we all take whatever moments of peace we can get and try to find solace in whatever way we can. It seems that we’ve all reached the conclusion that during a time that’s as crazy as this, it’s incredibly necessary to take care of ourselves, whatever that looks like. Everyone has decided that there are no limits on what that looks like anymore - not that there really were before, but there especially aren’t now (as long as you do it safely and socially distanced).

Putting yourself first is sometimes a concept that’s either hard to grasp or all too easy. Some people struggle to find time for themselves, and some people make it a priority. Either way, it’s something that’s important to fit into your routine.

Of course, I am not going to tell you all of that and then not give you some tips! So, here are some ideas:

1) Meditate!! I started doing this mid-quarantine and it has honestly changed my life. I am always that person where my brain goes a hundred miles an hour and I forget to slow it down. Meditation has helped me so much in that aspect.

2) Drink water! Seriously, this isn’t just a mental health thing, but it will help you a ton and wake you up. Go drink some now, I know you’re not hydrated enough. I personally was terrible at it until my mom gave me a giant water bottle (from hydromate.com) that mocks me. Not really, that’s just what I tell myself so I can drink it and not feel like I am being mocked by a water bottle. I do my best to drink two of them a day, and I drink a big segment of it every hour (or more if I’m especially thirsty).

3) Find a healthy hobby. For me, I was a huge reader when I was a kid. Just ask my parents - they literally used to take my glasses from me at night so I couldn’t read past my bedtime. You could have called me Hermione Granger (just kidding, I wish though). I lost my passion for it over the years because of school, but quarantine has brought it back to me. That’s just one example. Working out would be another - and you should!

There are a million things just like this that you could incorporate into your daily routine. Sometimes we consider them ‘guilty pleasures’ because we feel like they aren’t productive.

To end on a reminder: it’s okay to take time for yourself. Please know that. Final exams are going to be extra trying this year. Remember to relax where you can, reward yourself, and as my dad always says, Take a Breath.

Written by Carmen Stavole