Since coming to college, I have come to a disheartening realization: very few students actively take care of their mental health and brush it off by saying they’ll “worry about it later.” We grow up learning in-depth about the consequences of not taking care of your physical health: type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, etc. But what about the consequences of not taking care of your mental health? This is a question that is not asked or answered enough, but through my personal experience, I have found you may have impaired academic and work performance, excessive tiredness, difficulty maintaining relationships, etc. As you keep going through life, your schedule will only get busier, so it’s time to start building small positive habits now that your brain will thank you for in the future.
1. stop using social media as a way to wind down
Admit it: you’ve probably fallen asleep while scrolling through social media in the middle of the night for hours (don’t worry, I have too). Subconsciously, social media is very harmful to your mind even if you don’t want it to be. You see a cute dog and get happy, then you see the injustices occurring around the globe and get angry, but then you see a funny video and start uncontrollably laughing… you get the gist. Going through this range of emotions in the span of 10 minutes isn’t good for you because it doesn’t let your brain properly process all the information it’s receiving; it’s exhausting. Instead of scrolling through TikTok or Instagram for hours after a long day, here are some other activities you can also do on your phone to replace it with:
- Watch a movie or TV show
- Call/text an old friend to update them on your life
- Listen to a podcast
- Type out your thoughts in the Notes App
- Go through happy photos and videos in your Camera Roll
- Play Doodle Jump (or any other of your favorite game apps)
2. Practice gratitude at least once a day
Almost everyone is after the next best thing: the best internship, the best grades, the best body, etc. While it’s good to aim high and constantly strive to become better than you previously were, it’s also important to take a look at where you are currently. Gratitude helps immensely with keeping you grounded and replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. So start by thinking of one thing you are grateful for each day. You don’t even have to write it down. Just a passing thought is great because you are actively making room for positivity. It could be as simple as “I am thankful that the sun is out.” Start off small, and the big changes will slowly follow.
You only have one body. This includes one mind too. You owe it to yourself to nurture it and love it.