Taking care of yourself for the semester:
I wrote a short poem called “Our own body” because during the fall semester it begins to feel like we are tackling the entire class objectives. While it gets colder outside, we as college students begin to feel that anxiety of due dates and finals approaching. The constant reminder of emails of completing your projects or running out of work to be at the library to catch up on notes. This is probably the moment where we skip meals and sleep because we are on a cycle of log into your blackboard and read those chapters so you are ready for your exam.
I think with our bodies allowing us to focus on our assignments we also begin to ignore it when we need to eat and sleep. We are not robots who can work 24/7 and expect not to crash. I do believe that breathing exercises and routines of doing stretches allow you to regain your control of peace. With a peaceful feeling it creates the ripple of a relaxed mind who can navigate their check list without running into a heavy burn out session.
Our mind and body deserve to be taken care of. If we constantly overwork it without some form of break or help, we will hit a harder rock. Remembering that college is a privilege to have as you are working towards your career goals, while also giving yourself the grace to slow down and recharge your energy. Listening to what you need for peace and productivity will grow a healthy habit on how to cope through the crunch time of the semesters we encounter in college.
Poem: Our own body
The fall semester swoops into December so quickly
College can began to feel stressful with overload assignments and having less time to mellow down
Even with a anxious semester of crunch time
I find myself doing deep breathing sessions to take care of my own mind and body
A couple of stretches and deep breathing can be the recharge during such stressful times
Your body has a heart, mind, feelings and important systems that allow us to experience the world
Taking care of yourself and letting yourself find ways to decompress in such times is the biggest gift you can receive
Taking in some nap sessions in your week
There is probably no time as you can feel the due dates ticking on your clock
As we move forward to the next day you start to notice you can’t write a proper paper if you are not sleeping
So even when the due dates begin to tick, take an initial step to find at least 15-20 minutes in your day to quickly recharge
To be able to sleep for 10 hours would be a dream
The fall semester swoops into December so quickly
Even when your schedule can feel chaotic with all of your responsibilities
Listen to your body and mind when it’s time to seek different methods for self care
Reaching for success is what we strive for but remember that you are not a machine
We need sleep, some food and water, some time to get together with peers, and to love ourselves in such stressful events that is going to come with big achievements in the end
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