Being a college student is stressful! As someone who definitely overcommitted herself this semester, I can tell you firsthand that there’s barely any time to care for your mental health, let alone the time to complete the millions of assignments you probably feel overwhelmed with. This is why I like to give myself a full day of self-care every so often; it makes me feel a million times better and the mental reset helps ease the majority of my stress. Here’s a rundown of my ultimate self-care day routine!
Before: Setting an Intention
I think the most important part of a self-care day actually comes before the actual day itself. It’s important to set an intention to have this day because otherwise, you’ll never actually have this day to get rest! I like to look through my calendar and assignments to pick a day to do this; usually, it’ll be over the weekend. If there’s any assignments I know I’ll need to do for the next day of classes, I’ll get them done ahead of time so there’s no excuse for needing to do work on my day of rest.
Morning: Cleaning & Coffee
On the mornings of my self-care days, I don’t set an alarm and let my body catch up on the sleep it gets deprived of during the busy weekdays. Once I’m ready to start my day, I get up and take an “everything shower.” Being at school and living in a dorm means I can’t take a proper everything-shower and spend nearly an hour in the hot water, but I still wash the stress off my body and let myself enjoy the heat for a bit! After showering and putting on my favorite comfy sweats, I tidy up my room a bit and make my bed. A clean space always helps clear my mind!
My go-to self-care breakfast is always a coffee and a breakfast sandwich, so I make it a priority to get this on my relaxing days. Whether I hop in my car and go to Starbucks or Dunkin’ or I enjoy the nice weather and walk downtown to The Works, I never fail to get my favorite comfort meal!
Afternoon: Shopping, Socializing, and Sports
I like to spend my self-care afternoons doing my favorite thing: spending money that I should be saving. But this is totally okay! It’s good to treat yourself every once in a while, and whatever you buy is basically a reward from getting through a bunch of stressful days. I’ll typically head to Target and wander the aisles, usually picking up a few things I need. Sometimes I’ll venture to Marshall’s or Barnes & Noble, where I like to pick up something for myself as a treat.
Once I return to my dorm, I like to hang out with my friends and boyfriend and put on a sports game as some background noise. Whether it’s the Sunday football lineup or an exciting hockey game, the idea of watching a high-stakes, emotional rollercoaster of a sports game is strangely relaxing to me. I like to pair my sports and socializing with some light snacks — usually whatever I have laying around.
Night: Dinner, Dessert, and Day Planning
Dinner with friends is a must for a self-care day: it’s a perfect end to the most relaxing and restoring day. We’ll usually head to a dining hall (or sometimes even Sweets and More up in Orchard Hill!) and have a fun conversation with a side of good food. If the dining hall doesn’t have a good dessert, I love to go out and grab a sweet treat from either a grocery store or a local ice cream place. Everyone knows treat o’clock is the best time of day, and it’s even better during a self-care day!
As I wind down for the night and get ready for bed, I’ll do my skincare routine and change into my comfiest pajamas. This is the only time of my self-care day where I’ll think about my workload, only because every night I make a to-do list for the next day. This only takes a few minutes, and once it’s completed I don’t allow myself to think about work until the next morning. Once I’m tired enough, I’ll turn my light off and head into what is usually a very relaxing sleep.
Having a self-care day is one of the most important things I do for my mental health. While my little routine isn’t nearly as extravagant as some others, it’s what works for me and something I always look forward to!
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