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Practicing self-care can be difficult when life gets so busy and especially when we’re in college. However, self-care doesn’t always have to be about going to get an expensive massage or facial.

This list is some small habits that may not seem like self-care at first, but make all the difference to mental health.

Make Your Bed

This is age-old advice, but a clean environment really does help maintain good mental health. Making your bed in the morning can be a good way to start the day fresh (and not get back into bed). 

Wash Your Face

Skincare is very important, but an extensive one isn’t always needed. For someone who may find it difficult to be consistent, usually a cleanser and moisturizer do the trick. Even a small skincare routine is better than none at all, and a simple routine with products that work well will yield results. 

Create Time For Hobbies

It can be difficult for college students to have time for anything other than school and work, but it’s important to do things you love that aren’t related to academics.

Personally, I enjoy reading, so I always make sure I have some time during the week to read things for leisure and not for class. Having time for reading or another non-screen-related hobby can be a relaxing way to end your night and bring happiness. Having hobbies that aren’t screen-related can also be very beneficial to mental health as well.

Surround Yourself With Comfort

This may sound materialistic at first glance, but in my experience, environment can affect mood exponentially. Something as simple as comfy slippers or a soft blanket can give me so much comfort. This may not be the case for everyone, but taking advice from Marie Kondo and having items that “spark joy” can be a good way to practice self care. 

Drink Plenty Of Water

Most people tend to carry a water bottle around with them nowadays, so this isn’t a problem for most people, but it’s definitely still important. Being hydrated is great for your mental and physical health. This is probably the easiest but most important takeaway from this list. 

Find People That Lift You Up

This can be classified as self-care because we are generally able to control the number of people that we keep close to us. Surrounding yourself with people who constantly put you down or you feel horrible after hanging out with is not a good thing.

While we can’t always control those we work with or our classmates, having genuinely good people in close circles is absolutely self-care and protecting peace.

Every new semester can bring challenges, so it’s important to take good care of yourself both mentally and physically. While it isn’t always easy, doing some good small habits is usually better than nothing at all!

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