Wellbeing as a student is not an easy balance. We are churning along through each month, deadline after deadline whilst trying to maintain a social life, family connections, our health and find time to switch off. Taking care of your mind and body should not come as a chore but it can be difficult to keep a consistent routine. These are some small tweaks to your student lifestyle habits and recommendations that we can incorporate as a way to tend to our wellbeing without feeling like we need to engage in the overwhelming amount of wellness content online and in our day to day. Seeking help can start with helping ourselves in the minor yet impactful ways, from preparing breakfast the night before to winding down with a pre-bedtime puzzle!
Mind your mind
The meme where the person wants to journal but can’t write fast enough to keep up with their thoughts. Yeah that’s me. I am apprehensive to write a whole paragraph about journalling and rant about screen time. Telling Gen-Z not to scroll reels before bed is like telling a dog not to bark. However, maximising wellbeing doesn’t look the same for everyone. Sometimes doing digital art or marathoning a new show and writing reviews on letterboxed IS our self care, even if it involves a screen.
If you are looking for student lifestyle habits and ways to improve small aspects of your wellbeing at uni, my favourite way has been through scrapbooking or ‘junk journalling’. Art or writing is a great way to reduce stress but for me it had to be in a way that I still found stimulating and not intimidating staring at a blank notebook. I really got into scrapbooking as a way to spend time off my phone directly but all while being able to have music on or a show in the background. Collaging is a great way to approach your wellbeing without even really noticing and it being fun without the pressure of it having to look perfect.
Sleep like you mean it
Some small tweaks to your night routine can help switch off your mind without having to completely disconnect from the world around us.
I asked my friend here on exchange what her evening wellbeing routine is because she is the queen of sleep as we know it. Here’s what Bella said:
“a cup of tea and a biscuit before bed and showering right before bed, phone on DND” – The classic sweet treat before bed to remind us life truly is worth living. The best teas to drink to induce good sleep are chamomile and mint tea as they help to settle the stomach after eating. A touch of lavender can also reduce cortisol levels from a busy day to improve our overall wellbeing.
“Doing some kind of puzzle like my NY Times crossword or sudoku, playing a YouTube video or a TV show that I have already seen before with low light really helps me switch off.” – Here Bella shows us that winding down for the night doesn’t have to be mundane or a forceful disconnection from reality. Doing puzzles can help our brain stay busy without overstimulating noise or light of a device. If you really want to watch a show, something you have already seen can help disassociate without having to concentrate too hard and with no stress of missing out on the episode of Gilmore Girls you’ve rewatched for the second year in a row.
Eating well
The fuel you give your body is the key to starting your day off right and one of the most important student lifestyle habits you can adopt. Wellbeing definitely comes from within but its the small habits can help you feel less stressed when you have woken up late with not enough time to eat breakfast. Skimping out and fearing the loud tummy rumbles in class is enough for me to make small changes in my evening routine to make my morning flow all the much easier.
I swear by overnight oats especially during peak exam seasons like January and April when my energy is low and we need to prioritise studying, being active and keeping up with our routine more than ever for our wellbeing. This recipe for overnight oats is my favourite as there are so many ways to customise it to your tastes. adding fruit for it antioxidants (blueberries are my og exam brain food), cinnamon or turmeric for anti inflammatory agents to combat the tension we may hold in our bodies as well as the freedom to use whatever oats (gluten free) and milk or even just water to fit your dietary requirements.
They can be sweet, more savoury, cold or heated up. the freedom to customise a breakfast that is not only cheap, east and that you cna look forward to instead of forcing down dry toast for the fifth time that week. Pop it in the fridge and wake up stress free with a meal you can thank you past self for prepping in advance.
Cut the clutter
Decluttering you space is also a way to declutter your mind. Whether it is for studying, having guests over or simply to make room for more trinkets on the shelves, having a space where you feel relaxed and organised can also help your day to day run smoothly. I do understand, some people have a method to their madness, take it from me I’m a hoarder for my scrapbooking bits and own way too many pens of the same colour. However, it is still helpful for me to have designated places for all the little trinkets so I can access the things I need for my hobbies or backpack easily.
As part of my student lifestyle habits to help boost my wellbeing, I designate a specific day and time to clean my room each week, a Sunday as a reset for the week. Sunday chores can become therapeutic of you are able to keep a sense of routine. It has definitely helped me keep on top of the washing pile in the corner of my room. The golden rule for extreme decluttering for when need a huge reset: if you look at it and it doesn’t bring you joy (or serves an essential purpose, don’t throw out your pots and pans you need those), dispose of it ethically / donate it.
Take it one week at a time
With all that said, university life is not so linear. Sometimes there is good weeks sometimes there is bad…like really bad. We have all been there and we are all different. Family life, flatmate worries and relationship drama on top of putting your all into getting a degree- it’s a full time job. We have to give ourselves patience and grace as we take it one week or even one lecture at a time. Mental health assistance for students is widely available but sometimes it can feel daunting and inaccessible on where to start looking for way to help yourself. This article may also provide more guidance on how to access the services available to students, adopting these habits can be the first step for you to engage with your wellbeing on a reflexive basis and understand the aspects of routine and wellness that do and don’t work for you.
