For most college students, spring break is usually a time to have fun, party and get out there as much as possible. I’ve had many spring breaks like these in my 22 years around the sun. However, I wanted to change it up this year. This semester has been extremely exhausting, both mentally and physically. I took a 15-credit course load, an internship and a job, all while contributing to a sorority I’m part of. Although I am extremely grateful for all of these opportunities, I never had time to myself. An old friend of mine had actually taken a spring break awhile back where she had just focused on herself and limited as much contact with the outside world as possible. I would say solitude was slightly easier to achieve because of the COVID-19 outbreak and everyone is pretty much stuck inside. Regardless, it still gave me the spring break I was hoping to achieve. Here are some of the ways I took care of myself this spring break:
- SLEEP
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I cannot tell you how important it is to catch up on sleep. During the semester, I was lucky to even get 6 hours of sleep a night, maybe even less. For spring break, I made sure to still go to bed at an ample time and not at 2 a.m. because of school work or studying for an exam. Times would vary, but whenever I felt tired, I slept. Even during the day I made sure to squeeze in one nap or two. It was a great way to make up for all the sleep I didn’t get while in school.
- Limiting Social Media
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Don’t get me wrong, as a Journalism and Media Studies major, I love social media. Despite that, I will admit that it can be a lot to handle sometimes. Particularly this past week with the media focusing on the coronavirus outbreak, it can cause a lot of fear and anxiety within some people. Even if there wasn’t a virus, social media can wear us out. There’s a lot of pressure on individuals to post quality content and attract a lot of likes and followers. Another way is watching your fellow peers doing something fun while you’re at home causing major FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). During the break, I made sure to limit my social media time by A LOT. There were even some days where I would delete certain apps just to get some peace from the outside world.
- Restricting Contact with Certain Individuals
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When you have the time to yourself and can finally be one with your thoughts, you can come to realize who you should be giving your energy to and who you shouldn’t. An example could be someone who has been really toxic in your life. This person could be draining your energy or does not fully appreciate or value you as a person. Spring break is the ideal time to restrict contact with these people. When at school, it can be hard because maybe you see them in class or work everyday. For me, I actually cut off someone who I realized did not respect me because I was able to reflect during this time.
- Eating Lots of Yummy Food
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Personally, I love going on food adventures, but the outbreak kind of made that impossible to do. Nevertheless, this gave me the chance to eat yummy food at home! I haven’t really had time to cook since my culinary school days so this helped me bring back that passion. Feeding and nourishing your body with great food is so important not just for your health but your well-being. Some of the things I made were savory scones, homemade pasta, potatoes au gratin, different types of cookies, and much more. I even went on major food hauls at places such as Whole Foods!
- Doing the Little Things I Never Had the Time to Do
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Cleaning my room, organizing my closet by putting clothes I don’t wear anymore together to be donated to a women’s shelter, reading this stack of books I never got to, and journaling, the list can go on. When you have time to yourself, try to get back into hobbies you may have neglected like painting or writing! This is also the time to finally get to something you’ve been putting on the back burner such as organizing your desk, work space, or even the inbox of your email.
- NETFLIX
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I’m not saying I didn’t watch Netflix during the semester. However, it’s nice to have a break where you can do it without feeling guilty about it, meaning that I can actually watch it without having to think about the school work I should be doing instead. Some of my Netflix favorites are Jane the Virgin, My Ex and Whys (for all my fellow Filipinas out there), You, Someone Great, and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.
- Surrounding Myself With Constant Positivity
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This goes along with restricting contact with certain people. There are so many other people in your life that make you feel whole and energized. The individuals who are always there to pick you up when you fall. Take this time to gravitate more towards those people. Especially with the outbreak right now, it is important to keep those who love and care about you close. I made sure to keep talking to these kinds of people in my life virtually, either through FaceTime or text message.
- Exercising and Meditation
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I cannot emphasize how exercising and meditating is good for your physical and mental health. For me, stress can build up pretty quickly, especially if you have a busy lifestyle. Going to the gym and exercising is the perfect way to release all that stress! I never really understood meditation until this spring break. It really allows you to be one with your thoughts and helps exercise the mind because you’re by yourself in a quiet and calm environment. The silence really helps you to hear yourself. Despite the restrictions with social distancing, I still try to go for a jog if the weather outside is good. There are also so many home workouts on Youtube to check out! I recommend Blogilates.
In all honesty, you don’t need a huge break to do all of these things and to take care yourself. You can start tomorrow if you wanted to! These are just some tips that I hope make a positive impact. The most important person in your life should always be yourself.