With the end of the semester quickly approaching, the onslaught of final exams, papers, and projects can be daunting and overwhelming. Additionally, if you’re involved with any student group, you’ll know that the end of the spring semester is probably the busiest time of the year for groups as well. My friends in acapella groups all have their spring performances, anyone who works with incoming students knows that admitted students are starting to arrive on campus in droves, and even comedy groups have their share of stressful times as their final performances of the semester are starting to occur.
Thus, as a COM student, a typical day for you might be a hurdle. Today, for instance, I started working in the Admissions office at 9:00 AM, then I had a 3-hour lecture, then I will be giving a tour of the COM building for admitted students before meeting with my group for a project due tomorrow (I’ll have to find time to eat somewhere). And this hectic schedule is not a rare one for most COM students.
Thus, it extremely important to remember to practice self-care. That is, in the midst of a crazy month, schedule time to do things you enjoy and take care of your emotional and mental well-being. Self-care can come in a variety of forms, ranging from going on a walk on the Esplanade, to just watching your favorite TV show on Netflix. You can organize a self-care meet-up with a group of friends and go to the movies, you can participate in the Center for Gender, Sexuality, and Activism’s weekly Self-Care Sunday sessions, or just spend time alone.
Regardless of what you decide to do, remember that you do need time for yourself. This is not to say you should procrastinate all of your final assignments, but you shouldn’t spend every moment of every day running around and working either. Listen to your favorite song and dance around in your room, watch that funny video your friend sent you but you never got around to watching, or take a trip to Pavement and get a cup of your favorite coffee. Whatever you decide to do, taking a 20-minute break to take care of yourself can actually help you much more than you’d think!
