Wellness Wednesday

By: Tori Martin

Let’s talk about self-love. It’s a term that has been all over the place in recent months. But what does self-love really mean? And how, as busy college students, can we successfully incorporate self-care into our routines?

I struggled with these questions for a long time. I don’t think I initially realized the importance of designating time in your life for practices that settle your mind and refocus your priorities. Then, a friend of mine from high school started publicizing her “Wellness Wednesday” routines on Instagram every week. Although initially it seemed insignificant, the concept of integrating self-love into my schedule now greatly impacts my life. Along with Chloe, I started deliberately celebrating myself every Wednesday, and planning ahead to make sure I had time to do so. This changed my idea of self-care from something that I regarded as a reward to something that I needed in order to succeed; from a reactive afterthought to a proactive choice.

With pressing deadlines and time-sensitive obligations, practices of self-love can easily fall to the wayside. But, prioritizing your mental, physical, and emotional health can help you decompress and prepare yourself to take on these academic challenges that will inevitably be thrown your way in your college career. By actively planning self-care into your week, like through “Wellness Wednesday,” you are reminding yourself that you are important enough to dedicate time to. This self-care can be a break from your everyday routine, like taking a walk, treating yourself to ice cream, or taking a nap, but if time truly doesn’t allow for that, it can also be things like cleaning your room or finally working on a homework assignment that you’ve been putting off.

This Wednesday, I challenge you to do one (or more!) things for yourself. Try and plan something into your day that will bring you joy. If you have too much to do to put a facemask on and watch a movie, prioritize what is most important in your life at the moment, and tackle that challenge! The most important thing about “Wellness Wednesday” is not what you do but how you approach it. Sitting in the library all day? Get yourself a snack, put on a good playlist, and remind yourself when feeling frustrated of how much you have to offer. If you do have time, go for a drive, treat yourself to dinner, spend time with friends, or read a few chapters of a book that you claim you never have time to read. However you want to take time for yourself, do it this Wednesday, and remember that you are always deserving of peace and compassion- especially when it comes from yourself.