Be good to yourselves.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! But actually, it isn’t always. Finals loom larger by the day, it’s cold and dark outside, and everyone is ill. But, when the going gets tough, the tough practice self-care! Here are some Bwoggers’ favorite tips for when they feel stressed, down or burnt out.

 

Get out of here!

  • Go to a concert and forget your surroundings.
  • Go to a movie and forget your surroundings.
  • Go to a museum and forget your surroundings.
  • Go to Hunter’s Point South Park in Long Island City and stare at the Manhattan skyline.
  • Explore a neighborhood you’ve never been to — better yet, a neighborhood outside of Manhattan.

 

Eat tasty stuff!

  • Drink some hot chocolate.
  • Use your points to get a nice coffee and pastry combo from Peet’s.
  • Eating a healthy meal instead of junk food.
  • Tea (apparently, it’s enough to just sit with the tea’s “simple beauty” and you don’t even have to drink it!)
  • Bake! It gives you something to do if you’re feeling fidgety, and in the end, you get a fun dessert.
  • Buy non-dining hall food.
  • Get some hot soup or noodles.
  • Go to the cheese section of West Side and walk around until you hear one cheese calling your name, then have a solo wine and cheese night and watch a movie!

 

Get up and move! 

  • Do some yoga. Yoga with Tim is an excellent Youtube channel if you want a guide. 
  • Take a long walk while listening to music, an audiobook, or a podcast. 
  • Bedroom dance party. Just cut loose with your absolute worst dance moves.
  • Go to a Fitbear class. Zumba on Mondays at 7:30 is super fun.
  • Run, bike, or do another form of cardio to really get your heart rate up, even for just 10 minutes. 

 

Connect with people!

  • Call your mom or someone who really loves and supports you. 
  • Make a fun plan with a friend so you have something to look forward to.
  • If you’re missing someone, tell them that. They’ll love it. 
  • Hug someone.
  • Smile at someone you pass by. This will boost your mood, and most likely theirs as well. 

 

Clear your head!

  • Meditate. If you’re not sure how to start, apps like Calm and Headspace can be really helpful.
  • Do a brain dump into a journal: just write down everything that’s on your mind. 
  • Talk about your feelings with someone you love.
  • Remind yourself that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be in life.

 

Get productive!

  • Make something! Whether it be a simple drawing to put on your wall, embroidering your jeans, making earrings, screen printing, knitting, really whatever you want.
  • If you aren’t an arts and crafts person, express your creativity another way. Sing, write, dance your heart out!
  • Wash your sheets! While they’re in the washer, put on some music and tidy up the rest of your room as much as you can. Light an illegal candle so your room smells nice. If you time it right, you’ll be able to finish everything just as your sheets come out of the dryer. Put them back on your bed in your newly clean and nice-smelling room and take a good warm nap.
  • Add something new to your wall, even if it’s just a dumb drawing you made or a sticker or a goofy picture of you and a friend

 

Watch something! Here are some things we like:

  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  • The first and last two episodes of Modern Love (available on Amazon Prime)
  • Planet Earth
  • Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings (available on Netflix)
  • Tik Toks

 

There’s just a few more weeks left, y’all. Stay strong and take care of yourselves. Bwog loves you and is proud of you. 
These practices work for us, but Bwog as an entity does not have any mental health training. Stop by Furman Counseling Center, CPS, or Well Woman for more resources. Email us at tips@bwog.com if you have any more suggestions!

Young Beagle at Rest via Wikipedia