The Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center offers a Serenity Space for students.
Kind ways to support your personal well-being and academic success
Sometimes it may feel hard to find time for self-care in college, given the many responsibilities, to-dos and endless distractions that are around. You may also find yourselves depleting yourself, for the sake of helping others or the community as a natural helper, good friend or community activist. The familiar announcement heard on most flights, “Put on your own oxygen mask on first before helping others” can be a helpful analogy to keep in mind when thinking about the value of self-care.
UW students have identified a few tips that have helped them start and maintain a self-care practice. This page is intended to encourage you to think about what self-care means to you – and practices that may support you to take a break, restore and renew. To get started, a few tips from UW students are:
- Choose just one area to focus on one at a time (sleep, exercise, mindfulness)
- Set realistic expectations (twice per week verses every day)
- Spend time with a friend for fun and accountability
Self-care practices for UW students
Sleep
Sleep is hands down one of the most important self-care practices. 7 hours minimum a night enhances brain activity, increases immunity, keeps growth hormones stable, buffers the nervous system and promotes emotional/mood stability.
“I avoid any screens an hour before bed and have explored other winding down rituals like reading a book, talking to friends/family, or listening to a podcast or music.” -UW Student
“I attempt to sleep at the same time at least four days out of the week to build a solid sleep habit.” -UW Student
“I separate my workspace from my bedroom space. I try my best to do homework everywhere but my bedroom so that my body gets used to winding down once I’m on my bed.” -Mel
“I exercise on a regular basis which really improves my sleep. I also avoid consuming caffeine after noon and eating heavy foods right before bed.” -UW student
Movement
Movement is an amazing tool to shift energy, improve focus and enhance overall well-being.
“I make sure to alternate between standing and sitting when I am studying and doing homework. It helps me feel more energized and reduces pain in my back.” – UW Student
“I have loved trying the classes offered through the IMA, my personal favorite was a hip-hop class! It was outside my comfort zone but I definitely didn’t regret trying something new. It was a great way to take time for myself, meet people and focus my energy!” -Tammy
Connect with others
Spending time with family, friends or connecting with the community are key to health and happiness. Laugh, spend time with animals or kids, volunteer, explore your interests and try something new.
“Joining a Registered Student Organization really shifted my ability to make friends at such a large school.” -UW student
“For me, joining Unplugged, an RSO, has been the best thing I’ve done for my mental health. It has helped me find a family on campus away from home. Moreover, since we’re all passionate about music, we’ve found something to bond over.” -Sairandri
“I engage in regular weekly friend time, like a movie night or fun clubs, so it’s a reliable thing. I find that getting some social time into my schedule even if I feel really busy really supports my overall well-being.” -Jonathan
Natural light
Light has a huge impact on sleep, physical activity, attentiveness, hormone regulation, immune function, digestion and so much more. Light exists on a spectrum with blue light dominating during the day and red/orange as the sunsets. The key is to be in blue light during daylight hours to boost alertness and mood and reduce blue light exposure in the evening hours so the brain can produce melatonin.
“I make sure to have night shift (or f.lux) mode set on my devices so that my screens have a warm orange hue before bed.”- Mel
“Sometimes I don’t realize how long I have been indoors studying. When I start to lose focus, concentration, or motivation to study, I like to take walks outside. Sometimes I make a plan to walk to the dining hall across campus for lunch, or I walk to a different library.” – Rachel
“When I know that I will have to spend a long time studying, I make sure to find a place with lots of natural light. I love studying at the South Campus Center because it has large windows and a beautiful view of the water!” -Tammy
Drink water
Staying hydrated is key to staying energized.
“I carry a water bottle to make sure I’m staying hydrated and to use it as a reminder to drink. I go for a 32oz bottle because it holds a lot of water and I love decorating mine with my favorite stickers!” – Sholeh
“I haven’t always loved the taste of water so to spice it up I add a squeeze of lemon, orange, or a tea bag flavor I really enjoy.” -UW Student
Relax
Unstructured time for relaxation is key for health and life balance.
What I’ve realized as a senior is that if I don’t spend time relaxing, my study sessions are not as effective because I get burned out. In this way, I’ve found that relaxing actually aids my study sessions.” -Rachel
“Packing my food and other things the night before helps make a productive day ahead! Especially as a commuter it helps me stay on track throughout my busy weeks and keep me organized with all the things I have going on.” -Sholeh
“I write words of encouragement and motivation and reminders to take a break or relax and hide it in different places in my room. I could be doing something random and I find one of these notes. Finding those notes definitely helps me calm down and remember to take care of mental health.” -Sairandri
