By Emily Schoch | Staff Writer
As the spring semester kicks off at Baylor, students are diving into new classes, tight schedules and a wave of responsibilities. Amid the hustle, self-care often takes a back seat, but experts and students alike emphasize its importance for maintaining balance and avoiding burnout. From mental health resources on campus to personal strategies for managing stress, prioritizing well-being is key to a successful semester ahead.
There are many strategies that students can use to practice self-care, and Baylor has resources that students can access 24/7. The Baylor Counseling Center website has a list that explains different ways to practice wellness.
One easy way to practice wellness is limiting screen time. As college students, it’s extremely easy to spend an excruciating amount of time on screens, according to Stanford Lifestyle Medicine.
“Increased use of screens among adults may harm learning, memory and mental health, as well as the potential to increase the risk of early neuro-degeneration. The study shows that in adults aged 18 – 25, excessive screen time causes thinning of the cerebral cortex, the brain’s outermost layer responsible for processing memory and cognitive functions, such as decision-making and problem-solving,” Stanford Lifestyle Medicine Newsletter says.
According to Baylor Counseling Center’s website, “You’ll be spending a lot of time online, and your mind and heart will need a break. So, if your favorite pastimes involve screens (e.g., Netflix, video games), find some non-screen downtime favorites: dust off your old board games, go shoot some hoops or take a walk, read for fun or listen to a podcast, workout or bake some cookies… Give yourself plenty of time to unplug from screens.”
Littleton, Colo., junior Stella Steffen said she has different ways that she practices self-care in her day-to-day life. One way Steffen has lowered her stress levels during the school year has been by taking walks with friends in order to release tension and get some exercise in.
“I enjoy going on walks with my friends, and it is evident that the time I spend walking outside is improving my mental health because it is just super restful,” Steffen said. “Especially when it’s with people that I love and being able to just talk about our lives and be loved and uplifted by them.”
Another way to practice self-care and lower stress levels is by getting enough sleep. College students are prone to pulling all-nighters in order to study for an exam or get less sleep because they were out late the night before. By repeating these patterns of not getting enough sleep, students can experience sleep deprivation, which can lead to harmful effects on the body, according to Harvard Medical School.
According to the Harvard Division of Continuing Education, “over the long term, chronic sleep deprivation can have a serious impact on your physical and mental health. Insufficient sleep has been linked, for example, to weight gain and obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.”
Steffen said she has experienced sleep deprivation before, and that she is going to use different methods to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
“Getting enough sleep is something that I’m working on and I think just taking care of that is a good way to take care of myself,” she said.
Steffen is also passionate about her relationship with God and said that sitting in prayer helps lower her stress and creates a clear mind.
“During my day, I spend time with the Lord,” Steffen said. “I feel like that’s something that really just focuses me and brings me peace and brings me joy throughout the day, and so that’s something that I try to always set aside time to do.”
Amarillo sophomore Mia Crawford is passionate about creating a space where she can practice meditation. According to Mayo Clinic, meditation improves sleep, increases self awareness and increases happiness.
The Mayo Clinic website says, “meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit your emotional well-being and your overall health. You also can use it to relax and cope with stress by focusing on something that calms you. Meditation can help you learn to stay centered and keep inner peace.”
Crawford said she takes time in her day to practice meditation because of the positive effects it has on her.
“I like to meditate for at least five minutes daily because I just need a mental reset with no distractions at all,” Crawford said. “It can be hard at first to sit in silence and not be thinking about a million other things. But once you get the hang of it, the impact is really amazing.”
Baylor Health Services can be reached at (254) 710-1010 to speak with a nurse. In case of a medical emergency call (254) 710-2222.