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Wellness

Protect Your Peace: Self Care is Self Preservation

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois chapter.

Self-care isn’t just facemasks and cucumbers, it can be the intentional, thoughtful ways we live every day to care for our mind, body, and soul to prevent burnout. We all need those days sometimes, but how can we prevent our battery from getting so low? Here are some ways I stop the negative spiral by prioritizing protecting my peace!

1. Fighting FOMO

Especially in college, overhearing groups giggling outside your door at 2 am on a Thursday, it’s easy to feel left out. You may feel pressured to say “yes!” every night your friends go out. After all, we’ve all had those nights where we were reluctant to go out, and ended up having a great time. Still, it’s important to find the balance between fun and rest that will keep you happy and healthy. I promise there will be other nights!

On those nights you stay in, try to make them fun or relaxing, instead of just rotting in bed feeling bad about yourself. Maybe find a friend to watch a movie and eat snacks with, or actually read that book you’ve been meaning to start.

taylor and belly in the summer i turned pretty season 2
Erika Doss/Prime Video

2. Social Media mindfulness

Remember you build your own “for you page”. Interact with positive content, only follow people you know or who inspire you, post what makes you happy, and engage with people instead of being a silent, doomscrolling stalker. In other words, make your social media, social. Be aware that algorithms are designed to keep you scrolling. Your phone doesn’t care about your health, the things on your to-do list, or the real people you should be talking to. Protect yourself by going on social media with a goal in mind. Are you looking to connect with friends? To be creatively inspired? To watch edits of your favorite TV show?

3. Distancing From toxicity

The people you spend your time with contribute more than you know to how you think and feel. Distancing yourself from people who are constantly negative, projecting their insecurities on others, or bringing you down will lift a weight off your shoulders. It is a difficult thing to do, but you are not a bad person for putting yourself first. You are not responsible for their happiness, only your own, so if you feel they are consistently holding you back, you have a responsibility to yourself to create space. Your time will be better spent with people who uplift you, share your values, and support your goals.

4. Keeping Routine

I used to think routine was overrated and loved living by following my whims, but staying consistent has pushed me further than I ever expected. Pamper your future self with productivity in the present. Avoid procrastination by staying active during the day by hitting the library after class, and use your nights to rest and have fun. Go to the gym even when it feels difficult, it gets easier with time. Set a limit on phone time before bed, and wake up earlier to start your day off right with journaling, or eating a well-deserved breakfast.

By implementing small changes to your self-care practice, you can experience massive transformations. Always slow down to take time for yourself when you need it, but self-care is also pushing yourself towards growth, and that can’t happen without some discomfort. Love yourself first!

Penny McNeela

Illinois '26

Hey, I'm Penny! I recently transferred to the University of Illinois as a junior studying Earth, Society, and Sustainability. At the University of Washington in Seattle, I studied sociology, spending my free time volunteering at the campus farm. When I'm not outside exploring nature, you can find me playing guitar, reading and doing all things girly!