Student Blog: Give Yourself Grace

Something I am constantly reminding myself is that it’s okay to give yourself grace. Especially on short, cold, winter days. I had the luxury of growing up in one of the warmest states in the country: California. I never had snow days, or even snow, for that matter. School was only ever canceled if there was flooding in the outdoor hallways, which was rare.

However, I am one of the unlucky ones in that the weather does ultimately affect my mood and mental health. You’d think I would have taken this into consideration when I decided to move to the east coast for college, but having “real seasons” was more important to me. Because of this, I have had to adopt some ways to help myself get through the winter months. I know I am not alone in feeling this way, so I would like to share some of these ideas with anyone reading.

Take rest days

I think that as college students we constantly feel the need to be productive all of the time. I mean, hell, we’re paying thousands of dollars to be here, and we don’t want to waste it. But part of life is needing to rest, and that doesn’t change depending on your location or your education status. There is also this rhetoric that “bed rotting” is a negative thing. In my opinion, this has to do with the language associated with it. “Rotting” is not necessarily a positive word. Rather than deciding that you’re “bed rotting” and wasting time, think of it as giving your body, your brain, and your heart a rest from everything in the world around you. It’s important, now more than ever when we’re surrounded by constant negativity, to let yourself take things slow and rest when you need to.

Pick up hobbies that are fun for you

Personally, one of my favorite things to do when I’m feeling unmotivated or in a bad mood is play guitar. Even though I use it for songwriting, I’m not always in a writing headspace. I’ve been in a slump for a while now, and so rather than try to force lyrics out of myself, I like playing other artists’ music to keep that skill set up and running. I’ve also been reading a decent amount lately, which I can always recommend to people who need something other than scrolling to fill their time. I recently finished The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, which was an incredible story.

Talk to the people around you

This one may sound silly, but it’s one of the most helpful things I’ve found works for me. I am lucky enough to have an amazing roommate to spend time with, whether it’s hanging out or simply coexisting. But outside of my dorm, I sometimes find it difficult to talk to people. This semester, I’m taking some unfamiliar classes, including a theatre course as one of my electives. Something that always makes me feel better and like I’ve had a productive day is talking to the people in my classes, and participating in discussions with the professor. It’s a small thing to add to your routine, but it makes my day better and lifts my mood every time.

Find the organization method for you

Even though I’ve only had my first week of the spring semester, I am already feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do. Something that has helped to quell this anxiety is finding a way to organize my work that keeps me motivated to do it. Personally, I use Notion. I’ve built an assignment tracker/checklist that lists every assignment in my syllabi for this semester, and allows me to attach files and links to things that I need for the assignment. I am a huge organization nerd and list-maker, but paper planners have never really worked for me, so this is a perfect alternative.

There’s a beauty in finding a balance between being productive and giving yourself the time necessary to recover. These years may not be easy, but they’re important, and your feelings and mental health are the most important of all.