Self-Care September is Here!
3 years ago
Self-care… That’s when you light candles and watch bath-bombs fizz away, right? Wrong! At RESN, we know that being a Year 11/12 student is stressful stuff. Just as a band aid can’t heal a bullet-hole, we know that jojoba-oil face masks won’t fix real problems. We also know that your mental health can have a massive impact on your ability to achieve your academic goals. That’s why we’ve dedicated the entire month of September to bringing you real solutions to real problems.
We’ll be asking questions like: What does realistic self-care look like? How and when should I ask for help? What support services are available to rural/regional students? We’ll also be chatting to some mental health professionals to get the low-down on looking after ourselves and others.
In the meantime, here are some thoughts to get us started on our self-care shake-up:
Why is Self-Care So Important?
We’ve all got our ups and downs. Self-care is a way of recognising where you’re at, and helping yourself get through whatever it is you’re facing. It’s all about being honest with yourself. Whether you got a bad mark on a practice exam, or you’re going through some friendship troubles, take a moment to think about what you can do for yourself that will get you feeling ready to face the challenges ahead.
There’s No One Way to Do Self-Care
Let’s redefine self-care. It isn’t a prescribed set of activities, and it goes way beyond doing yoga and skincare. Our take? Self-care is for everyone, and it’s the simple act of checking in with yourself. This can look different for everyone. It can be as small as having a cuppa on the porch or asking your dad for advice.
Our Favourite (Realistic) Self-Care Activities
When we asked some of our RESN team members what they do for self-care, we realised just how personal it is:
- Bailey (20, Head of Recruitment) explained that when he needs to take his mind off things, he heads into the backyard, and tries to shoot as many hoops in a row as possible. The repetition allows him to zone out, and momentarily forget about whatever is bugging him.
- Hannah (20, Head of Media) told us “anytime I’m feeling crap or not myself I take the absolute hottest shower possible… I also like to pray and reconnect with my Judaism”.
- For Jun (21, Head of Tutoring), it’s as simple as making a good breakfast in the morning and getting some fresh air.
- Sof (21, Secretary & Treasurer) finds that doing a tidy-up of her space does the trick. It helps her “unwind and process things… and makes me feel so much better about what I have ahead of me”.
- For Rish (20, Head of Volunteering), getting outside in nature is the key to self-care. “Whether that’s a walk, a run, or just sitting in my backyard, little else does better to re-centre me”.
Feeling stressed about choosing a uni degree? Check out our previous post. Want some more inspo? Chuck this a read.
Take a minute to check-in with yourself and stay tuned for an amazing month of self-care content. You’ve got this!
Words by Ella Katz
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