Let’s face it: being in college means it’s inevitable that we all have bad mental health days here and there. Especially in the midst of second semester where the dull winter weather is taking a direct hit on the mental health of most people, I think it’s important to be able to identify activities or tasks that calm your nerves or take away a little bit of the blues.
Personally, it’s really easy for me to jump into bed and hide under the blankets from all of my problems. But frankly, spending hours doing nothing and knowing I’m not being productive stresses me out even more. So through much experimentation over my first six months of college, I’ve come up with a few remedies that make my day a little better.
1. Self-care
Although this might be kind of cliché, I find that just setting aside 15-20 minutes to do something as simple as painting my nails or using a face mask allows me to relax and subside my anxiety. Most times, I also play some music on my speaker (primarily Taylor Swift or The Lumineers).
2. facetimE loved ones
Oftentimes when I feel down, especially when it’s to the extent that I wish I could just go home, I like to FaceTime or call my loved ones. Most of the time I’ll call my little sister or one of my parents, but I also will call up one of my hometown best friends or my grandparents if I can get ahold of them. Even if it’s just to talk about my day, simply talking to someone from home who truly knows who I am as a person really brings me comfort.
3. Clean/ORGANIZE
I know the word cleaning probably sounds absolutely dreadful to most people. But at least for me, cleaning and organizing my dorm room clears up my mind. This can consist of washing dishes, wiping down the countertops, doing laundry, or putting away my clothes, all while listening music. I also enjoy reorganizing my drawers and cabinets. I’m convinced that having a clean and organized room truly does improve my mood and reduce my anxiety.
4. GO FOR A WALK
I really like to take advantage of living on such a beautiful campus every chance I get. Sometimes the cold and gloomy weather pushes me away, but even just bundling up to stroll around campus for 15 minutes can be very refreshing. This is yet another task I enjoy doing while listening to music. Some of my favorite places to walk on campus are down by the soccer and baseball fields, across A-quad, and occasionally the bio reserve or in downtown Granville.
5. Go for a drive
I know this only applies to those who have a car on campus, but I really enjoy taking my car (or going with someone else who has a car) for a little spin around town or even farther. As wonderful as Denison’s campus is, being on top of a hill can make it feel like I’m living in a bubble sometimes. I try to take my car off campus every few days for a short drive or to just to run some errands, because getting off campus can be really rejuvenating. Driving on the winding roads throughout rural Ohio is actually quite scenic!