While I was sitting down staring at my 2018 goals in my bullet journal, I noticed so many of my hopes for the year are related to mental health. I thought I would do a blog post about why it’s important to focus on your mental health in the new year, and why I’m glad I started focussing on it in the last couple years. Make sure to read my last post, Simple Ways to Stay Grateful in 2018, because staying grateful and thinking of everything that makes you happy helps with mental health, too!
Start the day doing something you love instead of reading or listening to the news
Go to sleep early(er)
Follow Twitter or Instagram accounts that make you happy
Talk it out
Go outside more
Don’t be afraid to be selfish
Staying on top of your mental health means something different for every single person, and it’s something that’s always a work in progress, so don’t get discouraged if you’re going through a rough patch. It’s just important to do what’s best for you, and there’s absolutely no shame in reaching out if you need help. In fact, it takes a lot of courage to do so.
When I started this school year, I had high ambitions of surviving my busy schedule. I’ve been working two part time jobs, averaging about 35 hours per week, plus a full class schedule of 15 hours, and have been trying to keep up with all my homework. I thought this schedule would be fine, and I have survived it, but I didn’t thrive as much as I could’ve.
Mad props to all the hustlers out there, because that shit is exhausting.
I haven’t gotten nearly enough sleep this quarter, I haven’t been able to workout everyday like I have for the last two years, and I’m lucky if I remember to eat lunch. Having this crazy busy schedule has taught me a lot of discipline, and although I tried to make time to stay creative and have an outlet, it was hard to justify sitting around reading for pleasure when I had probably one hundred pages of reading due for a class the next day.
That guilt pushed me to try and finish all that I could and sacrifice a lot of sleep to do so. Sure, I left papers to finish right before the deadline, but in total I feel pretty proud that I kept on top of my school work even better than quarters where I had a lot more free time. My bullet journal saved me, as well as leaving sticky notes e v e r y w h e r e to make sure I didn’t forget anything.
Along with my busy quarter came more stress than I’ve dealt with probably ever. I had crap with my family, dealt with the craziest situation of someone copying my apartment key, and much, much more. I didn’t give myself a chance to sit down and think through all of that stress and just feel because if I did, I’m afraid I never would’ve gotten up.
I struggled through this quarter, and I’m not ashamed to say it, because I came out in the end. I just turned in my final paper for the quarter, and have finished all my tests, but I still have a couple days of work left. The light at the end of the tunnel is brighter, though.
I don’t want this to sound like I’m complaining about how hard my life is because there are people out there with much, much harder lives. The point of this post is to reflect on this time in my life, and to somehow start to work through the emotion that I’ve put in a neat little box in the back of my head. My mental health has struggled this quarter, and I feel like a slightly faded version of who I was six months ago, but that’s okay.
We all struggle at some point in our lives, and I don’t want to hide from that. I know I should go and talk to someone about my mental health, and I’m hoping that’s something I have the courage to do next quarter.
I’ve retreated into myself to get through autumn quarter, but I’m also grateful for the people in my life who have stuck with me through this time. My boyfriend was my lifeline and the person who talked me through various panic attacks and times of just absolute blinding stress.
I let myself fall behind on my blog and my YouTube channel, something I absolutely hated doing, because it’s such a huge source of creativity and happiness in my life. With that I took more of a break from social media, which in retrospect has probably been good for me.
I’m not sure how exactly I got through this quarter, but the truth is my blood is probably 75% coffee right now, and I think the desire to just cuddle with my dogs over winter break is one of the main things keeping me going at this point.
Next quarter I’m cutting down on my commitments and will hopefully have more time to do the things I love, like post on my blog and make videos.
For now, here’s a photo of my little Christmas tree 🙂
You’ve probably noticed that I haven’t been posting very often, but I’ve been so busy with studying for finals – go figure. This quarter was one of the busiest I’ve had at the University of Washington, and because of that my blog and channel have suffered slightly. I’m going to have a busy summer as well but I’m trying to get a hold on my schedule early so I can keep up to date. I have a couple of weeks before I start to get super busy, so I’m going to be getting ahead of the game!
As you’re ending the term for your school, I’m sure the scariest part is all of the finals you have to take. It can be so daunting to study for multiple tests, and you’ll probably end up feeling like a zombie. I’ve done a post on how to survive finals, but I really wanted to do an updated one in the “How to Succeed in College” series, especially since I’ve been studying like crazy these last couple of weeks. So, here are my tips!
1. Write down when each and every one of your finals are.
This may seem super basic and obvious, but it’s a great place to start and keep coming back to. If you need reminders, write them on sticky notes and post them around your desk, or wherever you’ll see them a lot. This really does help – it’s so easy to get unorganized and lost while studying for finals, because you’re just focused on reviewing content.
2. Actually make study guides.
I remember doing this in high school was always so annoying, but it can be so useful in college. When you’re writing down all of the topics from your classes, you can get a feel for which ones you need to study more on, and which ones you know really well. It’s also great to have a reference that you can go over when you’re doing simple things like eating breakfast, or even walking to class (if you take a photo of it on your phone, which I highly recommend!).
3. Prioritize your time.
This can be with what you study for certain classes, as well as which finals you study the most for, and when you actually study for them. If you get a head start on studying for your finals that you have first, you’ll have more time to study for finals that come later in the week. It’s super difficult when you have multiple finals in a day, or one after the other, so it’s important to schedule time to study for each different class. I definitely struggled with this Freshman year, so it’s something that just takes a lot of practice and a lot of tests! Also, it really helps to have a planner to organize your time!
4. Block social media websites, and delete the apps if you get distracted easily.
I know a lot of people who actually block websites that they go to often, as well as delete apps on their phones so they don’t get distracted. This is a really great solution if you get side-tracked easily while studying, or you find yourself constantly checking your phone and computer. I personally don’t do this, but it does work well for a lot of people.
5. Change up where you study.
If you are getting tired of the scenery you’re studying in, try simply changing it up by going somewhere else. Getting bored of a certain location that you’re studying in can happen, so try studying in your room, other living spaces, different libraries, cafes, or other buildings around campus. If I’m feeling super burnt out for studying, it really does help me to go somewhere else. This really helps to keep your mind stimulated, and focus on studying!
6. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep.
“Sleep” and “finals” don’t often go together, but it’s important to try and get enough rest during the week. I’ve learned the hard way this quarter just how important sleep is; you end up doing better on tests, and you have more energy to finish up homework. It really does pay off to take the extra time to go to sleep early, or take a nap throughout the day so you can feel refreshed.
7. Make study groups with friends.
Studying with classmates can be really beneficial if you’re struggling in the class, and even when you know the content really well. Chances are you each will have stronger grasps on different parts of the class, so you can teach other in order to fill in those gaps. Also, when you are teaching someone else a concept, you end up really solidifying it in your head, which helps you out in the long run. It can also help to make you feel less alone and therefore less stressed, because you have others to talk to about the test!
8. Stay positive.
This might not seem too important, but it’s really easy to focus on the negatives during finals. If you find yourself really down, try and think of the positives, like being done with finals and relaxing! Spring quarter/term finals can be really tough because you’re thisclose to summer, and finals can feel like they’re absolutely dragging along. Just remember that this is the last step before summer, and that you really are close.
9. Listen to classical music to help you study, or any other study music that helps.
I find that listening to classical music, study music, and even soundtracks to movies (Harry Potter is my favorite choice, of course), really helps me stay focused. If I listen to music with lyrics I find myself just humming along to those, but if it’s instrumental music, I can better focus. This is especially useful if you’re in a busy or loud place, like a cafe, but you still want to sit there and study. It’s been proven that classical music helps, so definitely give it a try if you have trouble focusing! You can literally just search “study music” on YouTube, and they have videos that last for literal hours.
10. Take plenty of breaks.
It can be easy to just drone along and study for hours on end, but it’s really important to take small breaks every now and then. Bring along a book to the library to read, listen to your favorite music, take a nap, waste some time on the internet, talk to your friends – do whatever helps you take your mind off of studying. Don’t feel like you have to be constantly studying, because this can make you burn out really quickly. You’ll lose steam, and the studying you’re doing won’t actually be very productive. Make sure you’re scheduling in breaks!
Alright, there’s 10 tips on how to survive finals in college! Just remember that you’ll survive, and it’s alright if you don’t do well on a test – don’t be too hard on yourself! College really is a learning process, and I promise it gets easier.
NOT ALL PHOTOS ARE MINE.
Happy spring! Although the first official day of spring was a week or so ago, I am still super excited about it. This winter in Seattle has been especially dreary and cold, so I’m definitely looking forward to some warmer weather.
Going along with this dreary weather, I have felt so uninspired this year in terms of creativity. I’ve been getting caught up in school (which of course isn’t a bad thing), and I’ve let my creative side get a little lazy. It’s easy to put excuses before giving yourself a break to be creative, and to push things like writing or art to the side because they seem less important to things like homework and tests, which in a sense they are. I am first and foremost a college student, so I of course need to make my grades a priority, but I also need to relax every now and then and spend an evening doing something I love, like watercolor.
When I was writing my last post, How to Succeed in College: Mental Health, it became clear that I needed a break from stressing out so much. I was writing down tips that I myself needed to listen to and apply to my life, especially because I’ve felt like I have hit a creative STOP SIGN lately. Anxiety and panic attacks seem to relish the times of stress and lack of creativeness in my life, so I needed to take a break.
Spring cleaning has always been something I’ve loved. While growing up, my mom would enlist my brother, dad, and me to help her clean the entire house – we’re talking scrubbing the walls, floors, and everything in between. It would be a laborious couple of days, but afterwards everything felt nice and clean, and that a fresh start was much easier to be had. Because I experienced that every year while growing up, I realized that was exactly what I needed this spring.
It was spring break last week for my college, so I took the time at home to do a whole lot of nothing, besides workout, play with my family’s dogs and cats, and our new puppy.
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| Seriously, look how cute he is!! |
I needed to take the week to give myself a mental break from stressing out about school, tests, law schools, finding a summer internship, and taking the LSATs in the fall. Real life can be hard, and I know that it’s just going to get busier and more stressful as I get older. When you’re really stressed out it’s easy to only think about how hard life is and will get, and forget that it’s also going to get more exciting, and more opportunities are going to present themselves to you after a lot of hard work.
Stress, anxiety, and depression affect so many people, and it’s extremely prevalent in college students. I’m sure if you’re a college student, or have been before, you completely understand why. Between classes, homework, studying, and trying to have fun, it’s easy to not make your mental health a priority. Going into college, I definitely underestimated how much stress I would be under and how it would affect me. I’ve always been a pretty anxious person, but college definitely made it a lot harder to deal with.
Through all of this, though, I learned how to become stronger, and how to calm myself down when it all gets to be a little too much. I also learned how important it is to make sure you are not only physically healthy, but mentally healthy. Mental health is something that more and more people are talking about, but there’s still stigma surrounding it, especially when many college students want to appear as if they are just fine at balancing everything in their lives. It’s also really important to talk about right now with the popularity of 13 Reasons Why!
In my new series, How to Succeed in College, I knew I wanted to do a post all about mental health, so here it is! I’ll be giving you my tips on how to make sure your mental health isn’t suffering, and how to not let the stress of college get to you too much.
You can also watch my video about it here!
It’s around that time of year again – Target is rolling around all of their school supplies, stores are having back to school clothing sales, and universities are beginning to send out dozens of emails to ready students for the coming year. August always takes me by surprise, because it seems like the second half of the month is solely dedicated to getting ready for the new school year. I remember how nervous I was in the August between my senior year of high school and freshman year of college, because the realization of leaving home and embarking on a whole new chapter of my life hit me hard. I spent the beginning and middle of the summer celebrating the fact that I was done with high school, but then it dawned on me that I would be leaving in a month to start a whole time in my life. The nerves hit hard and fast, and I honestly didn’t know what to do with myself. It can be a very scary transition, because it’s probably one that you’ve never experienced before. Just because it’s new and scary, though, doesn’t mean that it can’t be exciting at the same time! It’s important to try and work through the nerves and anxiety, and get excited to start university. Here’s some tips on how to do just that!
1. Focus on buying things for your new space.
Whether you’re going to be living in on-campus dorms, in a sorority, or maybe even your own apartment, it’s important to make sure you have everything for your new living space. Focusing on buying everything you’ll need can also get you excited about moving in, so it’s a win-win situation. You’ll be less stressed about forgetting something, and you’ll also be focusing your nervous energy into doing something productive.
2. Look at clubs on campus, or ways to get involved, before you move in.
Knowing what kinds of clubs or groups you want to join can make the transition a lot easier, because you know for sure you’ll have a way to meet people and make friends. That can be one of the scariest parts of going to college, the fear that you won’t be able to make new friends or find people who you’re comfortable with, so it really helps to have some places to check out to get to know people naturally!
3. Print out pictures to hang up in your room before you leave.
One of my biggest concerns before I left college was if I was going to be super homesick or not. I had never really been away from home for that long before, just week long summer camps, so it was really scary to imagine being away for months at a time. I knew I would visit on some weekends, but it was still the first time that I wouldn’t be living with my family. In order to remind myself of my family and friends, I printed out lots of pictures to hang up in my dorm room, and they were some of the first things to go up to make sure I didn’t get too homesick! This honestly helped so much to calm my nerves, and I highly suggest doing it!
4. Memorize your class schedule, and where those classes are.
I will be the first to admit that my sense of direction is completely terrible. I still get lost at the mall in my hometown, sadly, so the thought of trying to navigate a huge college campus was very daunting. My university actually has an app with a map similar to how Google Maps works, in that it finds your location so you can see how to get to certain buildings, in case you have absolutely no idea where you’re going (this happened to me a lot freshman year). I made sure to download it before I left in September, and I looked at the where the buildings all of my classes were in so I would have some idea of where I was going.
5. Try to spend as much time with your friends as possible, especially if you’ll be going to different schools.
Since they’re in the same boat as you, your friends can be great people to talk about your worries for the next year. They are probably just as nervous as you, so it can be beneficial to talk to each other, just to have some people to relate to! It can really help to realize you aren’t alone, and that other people are in the same position as you. It’s super easy to feel like you’re the only person who is excited but still very worried to be going to college, since everyone seems like they can’t wait to get out of their house and go. That is definitely not the case, though, and more often than not, if you talk with your friends about some of the things your nervous about, they’ll tell you what their worried about.
College is definitely something to be excited about, but it’s hard to see that when you’re struggling with anxiety about it. Just know that everyone else is in the same boat as you, and that you aren’t the only one struggling with the nerves. Try and think about all of the fun you’re going to have soon, and things will get a lot easier! Trust me that college really is so much better than high school, and that you will meet some really great people and have some amazing experiences.
While preparing for my study abroad, I didn’t really give myself time to stop and think about the actual act of getting over here to Europe. I busied myself with packing lists, Pinteresting things to do, making bucket lists, and all other things pertaining to organization, so when it came to the night before I left, I started to freak out. Flying has never bothered me, and I actually really love it. The part before and after is what really makes me nervous: navigating the airport, and getting to where I am staying. Security is always so fast paced that I feel like I get whiplash and don’t have any time to be organized, which is what I thrive on. I am also always nervous that I’ll somehow end up missing my flight, even though I arrive at the airport at least three hours early. Through my travels, I’ve developed a couple of habits that make traveling a lot easier, so I thought I would share them with you, because I’m sure there are other anxious travelers out there!
1. Have a plan, and stick with it.
I am a planner. My actual, physical planner is my best friend for that reason, and I always feel ten times better when I have a solid strategy laid out for how I’m going to tackle the airport, and specifically getting through security and finding my gate. The night before I left for England, I made sure I knew where everything was located in my bags, I printed out all of the copies for my flight tickets, passport copies, study abroad info, homestay and dorm address, etc. This helped so much because I knew I would be able to quickly pull something out of my bags if need be, and I also knew where I was going to go in the airport and at what time. Basically as soon as I get out of security, I go to the T.V.’s to see if my flight info is up yet (sometimes the gate isn’t shown until an hour before the flight leaves), grab some food or coffee if I want it, and head to my gate to sit and wait. Yes, it’s annoying to just sit and wait for a long time, but if you end up getting hungry later, you know where to go back to when you’re ready to leave.
2. As soon as you know your gate, go to a map and locate it.
Airports are huge and often very confusing, so it’s a great idea to locate where you need to go on a map, maybe even take a picture of it on your phone, and head over there. This is especially helpful when you have a layover and are in an unfamiliar airport. I don’t have the best sense of direction, so maps are always very helpful for me. I figure I’ll take a wrong turn at least twice, so it’s also really helpful taking a picture of the airport map to have on my phone. Once I actually find the gate, I set up camp with my snacks, coffee, and Kindle, and wait until my flight is boarding! This really helps with my anxiety because I know where I am supposed to be, and that I won’t miss my flight.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
This can be really scary especially if you are in a foreign country, but the people who work at the airport are there to help you, so more often than not they will happily give you advice. I could not, for the life of me, get the check-in machine to work at the Heathrow airport, but a nice lady helped me out and the crisis was avoided. When you’re already in a high-stress situation, any little thing can set you off, so it’s really important to just stay calm and ask people for help if you need it.
4. Give yourself a lot of extra time.
For international flights, I get to the airport at least three hours before my flight leaves to give myself plenty of time, and two hours for domestic flights. I hate being rushed, especially when I’m already stressed, so it really helps to have a nice time cushion. This also really helps mentally because I know it’s totally fine if I do end up getting turned around, or if the security line ends up being really long. Security is always hit or miss; sometimes it breezes by, and other times it seems to never end. It honestly just depends on the time and day, which is extremely frustrating. Giving yourself lots of extra time always ensures you’ll have plenty of time, though, and I would much rather have an extra hour of reading instead of running to my gate!
5. Make sure you put all of your liquids in a clear plastic bag, and know exactly where it is.
I flew for the first time in a while last year, and I completely forgot about putting my liquids in a place where I could quickly pull them out for security. I ended up having to completely open up my suitcase in order to get them out, and dig through all of my stuff. This was extremely stressful and embarrassing, and I haven’t made that mistake since! Now I always make sure to put the clear bag (make sure you do this, too, otherwise they’ll make you do it in line) inside of my makeup bag, on top of all of my stuff, and I pull it out a little bit before I get to the part where I put my stuff in the bins. This routine works really well for me, and makes sure I can get through security as quick as possible, which I’m sure everyone else appreciates as well!
6. If possible, check-in to your flight online, before you get to the airport.
I ended up being able to check-in to my flight for London 24 hours before I left, which was so nice because I didn’t have to deal with the long check-in line at the airport. Checking in online also gives you the option to put the boarding pass into your Passbook if you have an iPhone, and a text message if you have an Android. I didn’t end up doing this because I had to change some personal info, but one of my friends did this and he breezed in because he didn’t have to fumble around for his boarding pass! I will definitely be doing that for now on when I’m able to check-in online.
7. Have a plan for how you’re going to get to the place your staying after your flight lands.
You might be saying, “well, duh,” but it can really help to not stress about something if you’ve already looked up taxi services, or checked bus/train times, and have them ready for once you’ve landed. I knew in London I could easily Uber to my homestay, but San Sebastián is a lot smaller, so I checked and made sure there were taxi’s that I could take to my dorm. This helped out a lot because I wasn’t constantly worried on my flight about how I would end up where I needed to be. Nine times out ten, airports always have taxi’s waiting outside of arrivals, so you can always get to where you need to be, or at least a bus or train station that will take you there.
8. Try, as hard as you can, to stay calm.
Trust me, I completely understand how stressful airports can be. I love flying, but it can be so scary to try and navigate airports for the first time by yourself, or get through security without your mom helping you grab stuff really quickly. When in stressful situations, it only makes it worse when you start to freak out, and lose your level head. It helps to try and remain calm, think and breath through a situation, and just relax. In the long run, you’ll end up a lot less stressed out if you remain calm through a hard situation. Just remember that you’ll end up where you need to be, so don’t worry too much!
Alright, well those are all of my trips on how to deal with travel anxiety! Just always keep in mind that all of the stress from the airport will be worth it once you get to your destination!
I am a very quote-oriented person. Call it cheesy, but I really love motivational quotes, especially since I love reading and writing. Words can be transformative, and can give people the courage to make a change, inspire them, or just make them feel good. This week hasn’t been the best because of stress, and I’ve been in this weird funk that I’m trying to get out of. Whenever I feel like this, I always turn to quotes to make me feel better, so I thought I would share some that’s been helping me a lot this week!
It’s really easy for me to get caught up in the stress of life and consequently forget about living in the moment. This quote really puts things into perspective, and helps me live each day to its fullest! When I was at the beach for my birthday weekend, I really felt like I was living in the moment, and because of that I ended up having the best time. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, so I think I’m going to do a whole post about it soon!
This is a very important quote for college students. Sometimes it feels like we are suffering through classes for no reason, but it’s really important to keep in mind that all of these hardships we are going through now will result in incredible futures! Keep this in mind when it feels like you are drowning.
In media today, shaming people is something that is huge. Oftentimes people are spoken badly about, and things get way out hand, and it’s completely unnecessary. I really love this quote because it’s so true; when you try to be kind to people and show them compassion, it makes it that much less believable when people are putting you down. This is really similar to the whole “kill ’em with kindness” mindset. It’s really important, though, to not do this in a fake way. Be your genuine self, and try to be kind; however, on the other hand, never let anyone put you down.
Alright, those are three quotes that helped me get through this long and difficult week! It wasn’t even bad or anything, I just have so many things going on that I’m feeling very overwhelmed. Plus, we’re getting close to the end of the year, so all of my classes have been kicking it up a notch. Hopefully I’ll be able to relax this weekend!
Disclaimer: None of these quotes are mine!
How are you feeling about college?
Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂