Close your eyes and imagine yourself waking up in a king-sized bed, putting on slippers that say “fan” on the left foot and “luv” on the right, walking with said slippers into your state-of-the-art kitchen, perching yourself up on your marble countertop to eat the three-course breakfast your personal chef made for you.
This is what an average Tuesday morning looks like for the one and only, DJ Khaled – a man who knows how to #treathimself.
The real you is probably sitting in a t-shirt you got for free at a campus event without any pants on, eating Lucky Charms cereal with the last bit of milk in your house, inhaling numbers and words off of your computer screen, hoping something will stick since you have a midterm in 20 minutes that’s worth 40 percent of your overall grade in a class.
As a student in college, I understand the complexity behind finding a balance between your academics, work, extra curricular activities, social life and familial life, but what needs to come first is your personal health and well-being.
I am taking initiative and I am deeming February as #Treatyoself Awareness Month.
Buy those heart-shaped boxes of chocolate this month. Line your bathtub with tealight candles. Watch the latest Neflix shows in bed. Go on that sunset hike. Make time to do the things you find fun and relaxing, whether you have a significant other or not.
“For singles, self-care includes finding out what your identity is based on and finding people who will support you in that journey,” Zhen Cheng, a psychology Doctoral candidate, said. “Many people go into relationships seeking a thrill or to fill a hole that no human being can fill. When we seek our self-worth and value in another person, it can lead to a lot of disappointments.”
During the month of February, I’ve seen my fair-share of friends who loathe the fact that they aren’t in a relationship because of the social stigma behind Valentine’s Day. And if they are involved with someone, I’ve seen the other side where the pressure to celebrate their romance on February 14 becomes a burden.
My solution: turn February into the month of loving yourself.
This lovin’ could mean a variety of things from person to person, so whether caring for yourself involves other people or not, you should do you.
“I think self-care for single college students in the month of February may mean something as practical as creating a list of people who you are grateful for and thanking them,” Zhen said. “Gratitude has been shown to be linked with a variety of positive outcomes, thus gratitude and hope are powerful tools for self-care.”
The whole concept of self-care is a powerful tool to use to fight the stress that comes with being a college student. We have so much to think about on a daily basis that figuring out what keeps us at a happy-medium is important for our overall health.
“I honestly am really bad at coping with everything going on in life and especially school,” Sam Henderson, a senior political science major and nanny, said. “Sometimes I just go on a drive, buy myself food and try to relax and process. Giving myself time to just ‘be’ is what works best for me – also, playing the ukulele in my room.”
Phoebe Chan, who is working towards a BS in international studies,while also juggling her position as Vice President of Finance within her sorority, has her own ways to unwind.
“I drink a lot of tea to relax and take baths,” Chan said.
For sophomore Isara Katmanee who’s studying business, being in a peaceful state of mind includes the presence of food.
“To relax I cook myself a nice meal and watch anime,” Katmanee said. “Cooking is especially important because food makes me relaxed.”
In order to have a clear mind, there needs to be motivation and passion in life as well as relaxation. Another way to slowly incorporate treating yourself and practicing self-care in your everyday life is to channel your inner DJ Khaled.
Now, I know most of his lavish life is a result of how rich he is and his celebrity status, but he also lives day-to-day with an internal awareness of himself that we can all learn from, no matter how rich or poor we may be. By just watching his Snapchat stories on a daily basis, I now see the importance behind his his words.
#blessup #stayawayfromthey #keytosuccess #securethebag