Fall Finals Self Care

As we approach finals season here at UGA, self-care is becoming increasingly important for each and every student. In order to perform our best on exams, papers, and lab practicals, we must make sure that we take care of ourselves first. Self-care can also look different for everyone. Some may think of self-care as a bubble bath and spa-like evening while waking up five minutes earlier to give yourself time to make your bed and leave your room as a clean space can be a great form of self-care for another person.

To begin, for many people, movement is medicine. Taking any time out of your day, even if it is five or ten minutes, to move your body in any way that feels good for you can help release tension and clear your mind. Finding a form of movement that feels good for you is the most important part. If the movement isn’t fun for you, it’s going to feel much more like a chore and that’s no fun. Whether it’s a 10 minute stretching video or a workout class from some of favorite Athens fitness studios, movement can make you feel so much better and allow you to take on a day of work with an energized mind and body.

Meditation can also be an effective stress reliever for many students. While meditation can be intimidating for many people that haven’t tried it before, taking it from the beginning and starting with a five minute meditation - or even two minutes - can bring you so much peace. Journaling is also loved by so many and you can write about anything!

As the weather gets cooler in Athens, afternoon walks can be so relaxing either alone or with friends. After a long day in the library, a walk around campus can be exactly what you need but I know myself and a lot of other UGA students get stuck on where to walk either on campus or around Athens. Some of my favorite spots to walk are around the Georgia Botanical Garden or the trails at the Sandy Creek Nature Center. Even if you have an extra ten or fifteen minutes to spare, taking the longer route to class one day will give you a wonderful time to get some fresh air and walk out your pre-test jitters.

If cooking and baking bring you joy, then do that! Never underestimate the joy that baking chocolate chip cookies brings not only to yourself but your friends too. Even if it’s the pre-made cookie dough from the grocery store or going all out and baking them from scratch - baking is a great study break and a yummy treat! No time to bake, no worries, even a hot chocolate or cup of tea will do the trick as well.

Spending time with friends can also be an incredible form of self care. Whether it's catching up and going for a walk, or running into an old friend while you are shopping - seeing friends always makes you smile. Even when life gets crazy, this is your reminder to spend some time with your friends and check in on them!

One of the most important pieces of self care that we want to share is SLEEP! As college students, we often do not get enough sleep but it is imperative that we sleep enough, especially during a high stress time like finals. Whether it’s going to sleep a few hours earlier, or giving yourself an hour extra to sleep when you can, we definitely encourage you to catch up on the much-needed sleep.

UGA Panhellenic wishes you the best of luck on your upcoming finals and make sure to take care of yourself and those around you!