Some Notes on Self-Care

This past week brought with it the first round of midterms, tests, and papers. In other words, the first stress peak. Now honestly, the workload itself hasn’t been that bad — especially since I’m enjoying every one of my classes (I mean, I modeled some mountain-climbing rainbow cows a few days ago!). But combine a steadily increasing workload with the constant learning curve that is adjusting to college life — and my signature batch of perfectionism — and things can get interesting.

But not in a bad way, at all. I’m learning so much, particularly how to take care of myself as a college student. So I figured I’d share!

Staying mindful

Obvious heading, I guess. But I really have become much more (naturally) cognizant of how I spend my time. When I was touring Carleton last year I remember hearing someone say you end up dividing your time into a balance of academics, social life, and extracurriculars once you’re in college.

I assumed that was a bit of an oversimplification, but it turns out it’s really true. I’ve found myself subconsciously compartmentalizing how much time and energy I spend each day on work, socializing, and extracurriculars. That “balance” becomes more actually balanced on weekends.

Finding efficient synergies

I’m someone who a) really loves music and finds it quite calming, but b) can’t focus on his work while music is playing. So I’ve been in an interesting conundrum recently. What I figured out is that I can combine two of my favorite de-stress activities — going to the gym and listening to music — in order to save some time and get even more relaxation out of the same period.

Protecting sleep

There are always going to be times when you need to stay up a little late in order to get time-sensitive work done, or really make sure you understand something you need to have down in order to move forward the following day. However, it’s equally important to be aware of how crippling sleep deprivation can get.

Sometimes, I’ve learned it’s better to sacrifice that last bit of familiarity with a subject in favor of having a clear head the following day. Otherwise, it’s easy to end up staying up late every night trying to make up for that day’s in-class fogginess.

Getting creative

Find yourself missing your friends recently but not sure how to address that given how much work or studying you have? Unsure how to get the emotional support you need without sacrificing the academic time you…also need? Try studying with groups of friends!

I guess this one could be obvious to the more extroverted readers out there (hi), but for me the approach is new, and it’s been a real eye-opener. I used to be, and still am, a rather independent learner, but I must admit it’s been great getting work done with my friends. We help each other stay on task while simultaneously offering each other more options in terms of collaborative learning.

I look forward to applying these lessons I’ve learned to future weeks. I’ve noticed that two of my favorite spots on campus are the Libe and the Rec, and that I can get most of what I need out of daily life splitting my time between the two. Which I think is pretty lucky! Other people might need more variety, but for me, when things get hectic, routine can function as a comfort. Here’s to a few weeks of refining my wellness formula!

Lucas just entered his freshman year at Carleton, bringing with him a passion for all things nerdy and a talent for overthinking and awkwardness (and self-deprecation). He hails from Pasadena, California, and yes, he realizes it gets cold out here. Currently wildly undecided, he can see himself attempting a Physics and Cinema and Media Studies double major, although Chemistry, Economics, and Computer Science (among many other subjects) have been tempting him as well. He misses his bearded dragon.

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