The self-care guide for college students

July 24, 2019

Although you’ve probably heard about self-care over the past few years, you might still be wondering: what exactly is self-care and how can I incorporate it into my life as a college student? In honour of International Self-Care Day, we chatted with Jennifer Lloyd, Manager, Mental Health Strategy at Georgian to put together everything you need to know about self-care, along with a few tips for making it part of your daily routine.

• Get enough proper sleep
  • Check out this article on how to get a better sleep as a student.
• Stretch
  • Here’s 5 desk stretches you can try.
• Walk
  • Even walking for 5 to 10 minutes can really clear your mind.
• Engage in physical activity
  • Our on-campus fitness centres are temporarily closed during the pandemic but Georgian students can access Grizzlies Fitness on Demand.
• Healthy and nutritious eating
  • If you need help securing enough food, check out the Georgian Food Locker. It’s an on-campus, confidential, emergency food bank for students in need.
• Yoga and meditation
  • Yoga and meditation are also included in Grizzlies Fitness on Demand right now to help you strengthen your mind and body.
• Rest
  • Check out Cyndi Smith’s reads for suggestions on great fiction books (Cyndi is a library technician at the Barrie Campus).
  • Take a break and watch a documentary.

• Stress management
  • Learn how you can better manage your time and reduce stress.
• Forgiveness
  • Even though forgiveness can be difficult, there are many benefits.
• Compassion
  • Kristin Neff has some great resources on self-compassion.
• Kindness
  • Spread kindness and practise self-care through a random act of kindness or by volunteering.

• Boundaries
  • Consent is one of the most important boundaries that you can set for yourself. Read Georgian’s Sexual Violence Policy.
• Support systems
  • Having a close friend or family member to talk to about your worries is extremely helpful. Look for people in your life who make you feel valuable as a person and remind you of your strengths.
• Positive social media
  • Read this article on 5 ways you can make social media a positive force in your life.
• Ask for help
  • Reach out for support when you need it. Student Services offers many services that can help you be successful.

• Sacred space
  • If you’re at the Orillia Campus, do a walking meditation through the labyrinth located outside the library.
• Prayer
  • Prayer rooms are available at both the Barrie and Orillia campuses.
• Time alone
  • Check out An introvert’s guide to thriving in college.
• Meditation
  • Check out the Mindfulness Mondays series by Sarah Hunter on the student portal.
• Connection
  • Join a club to connect with those who have the same interests as you.
• Journaling
  • Read this article on 13 reasons for students to have a bullet journal.

Self-care videos

Mental Health and Well-Being at Georgian College

The Mental Health and Well-being Strategic Plan at Georgian focuses on promoting a healthy campus community, creating resilience, and encouraging help-seeking and effective responses to Georgian community members in distress.