How I learned to take care of myself amid the pandemic | Column | Columns | Opinion | Daily Collegian

Transitioning from lockdown to having some freedom back feels like being a kid getting out of a timeout.

Shifting from a life with many limitations to a life where things seem forced to be back to normal can cause a disruption in our lives, which can result in lack of self-care.

It can be easy to lose sight of what we need to do for ourselves to remain sane due to the abrupt changes happening around the world.

Here are some self-care tips to practice, as we’re still in a stressful time.

Healthy eating

Quarantine weight was a big discussion during lockdown: We had little to no access to gyms and the outside world, making it easy to gain weight — especially for myself.

I would constantly eat snacks — not because I really wanted them — but because they were there. This would become a normal routine to me, and I’m sure I was not alone.

And, although classes were online and I just rolled out of bed onto Zoom doesn’t mean they weren’t stressful. On top of eating out of boredom, I would eat even more because of stress.

If you’re anything like me and are still adjusting from spending a lot of time in the house to transitioning back to in-person classes, you may still be struggling with stress eating.

It’s OK to eat: Just make sure you’re eating more fruits and veggies than you are junk. You’ll feel better — both mentally and physically.

Exercise

Exercising was a great way for me to stay active during quarantine, and it also helped me create healthy habits as we transitioned from virtual to in-person learning.

Although I did not have great eating habits, I made sure to balance it out with at-home workouts. While working out at home is not close to being in the gym, I had to utilize my resources.

After each workout, I found myself less stressed and more motivated to conquer anything I had to do that day.

I was more energetic, more attentive and extremely satisfied with how I looked.

Go at your own pace. Don’t stop until you feel fulfilled.

Make time for yourself

As a college student, it’s easy to get wrapped up in your schoolwork and forget to make time for yourself or others you enjoy being around.

My routine went something like this: school, work, study, internship, shower, eat, repeat.

Nowhere in there did I create any time to dedicate to myself, but I had to figure out something to ensure I didn’t get extremely overwhelmed with work.

I had to find a balance.

I promised myself I would allow 30 minutes to an hour for “me” time every day, and that included anything from watching Netflix to taking a walk in the park. This increased my mental wellbeing and provided something to look forward to.

For anyone who is struggling to find balance, I encourage you to buy a planner, journal or notebook and write activities you enjoy that can easily fit into your schedule.

During these tumultuous times, the importance of self-care cannot be overemphasized enough. It’s easy to forget about looking after yourself with the pandemic still roaring and a busy everyday schedule.

While it may be difficult to allocate time for yourself, the benefit of taking a few minutes for yourself is a small step in the right direction toward self-care.

Pandemic or not, you are just as important as your day-to-day activities.