Many college students around the world have been having a tough time maintaining school work, a social life, and a healthy lifestyle due to the current pandemic. Under the current circumstances, it may be difficult to balance all the many responsibilities that a student has throughout a semester.
In order to keep a positive and healthy head on your shoulders, it is important to start with yourself and to be aware of your mental health. Listed below are three quick tips to help maintain good mental health.
Getting Good Rest
One of the main struggles students deal with throughout college, even in a typical year, is getting a good amount of sleep. While trying to balance classwork, employment and a social life, it may be hard to get necessary rest.
Lack of sleep leads to fatigue and takes a toll physically. It may also lead to some mental challenges, like feeling anxious and depressed.
Jason Flores (senior, Kinesiology) tries his best to get at least six hours of sleep through the night. Flores explained that this amount is good enough for him as he balances school and work. While everyone is unique in what amount of sleep feels adequate, the CDC recommends seven or more hours per night for adults aged 18 or older.
Eating Healthy
In many instances, college students may not have enough time to cook or prepare themselves a healthy meal. Convenience becomes key, even if that means the food is low in nutritional value.
With busy schedules, it is common for students to either delay eating to dangerous points or simply take a quick trip to the nearest drive thru. In the long run, these may not be the best decisions. It may seem hard to try and eat healthier, but it could be worth it.
Anthony Alexander (senior, Psychology) explained that when he first started college, there was not enough time to make meals and to eat healthy, so he resorted to eating out. Now that he is in his fourth year of college, he has managed to take some time out of his day and cook when he gets hungry.
“Whenever I cook myself a meal, I feel more accomplished because I saved money and also feel more energized because I know what I am putting in my body,” Alexander explained.
Enjoy Yourself
Jennifer Staffero, a counselor at Stan State and licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience, suggests that students can change their moods if they change their way of thinking. A person with negative thoughts may tend to always feel down, while a person has a positive mindset tends to feel more energized and uplifted.
Staffero also suggests that students meditate to feel more peace in their lives. This is key in enjoying yourself because a clear mindset is a happy mindset. Down below are a couple videos and websites Staffero recommended:
https://self-compassion.org/videos/
For more mental health tips, you can visit the Health Education & Promotion page on the Stan State website. State counseling services are also provided for those wanting to talk to a licensed professional.
