Aggies give tips on prioritizing self-care while studying
By AMBER WARNKE — features@theaggie.org
As midterms wrap up and students begin to prepare for finals, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the pressure of staying on top of homework, projects, studying and the countless other obligations college students take on. However, even in times of academic stress, UC Davis students share the importance of prioritizing self-care and creating healthy study habits — before burnout hits.
According to Nicole Hollis, a continuing lecturer of human development and family studies at UC Davis, the first thing students should understand as they prepare for their exams is the difference between healthy and unhealthy stress.
“When stress is at low enough of a level that it’s not going to do psychological or physical damage to you, but it’s enough to help you to have the energy and motivation to do what you need to do, then that can be effective,” Hollis said. “It’s deleterious if [the level of stress] is […] doing more damage than helping.”
Contrary to popular belief, not all stress is bad, according to Hollis. Healthy, manageable amounts of stress can serve as motivation; the stress to get a good grade on a test can push someone to study, and the stress of a big upcoming project can prompt someone to begin work sooner, rather than later. This beneficial level of stress is called “eustress,” and can serve as a “constructive type of stress,” according to an article by PubMed. However, when stress becomes harder to manage, it can become “distress,” which is a “destructive type of stress” that can actually make it harder to accomplish goals.
“[Distress] actually makes it so that the immune system can’t protect us as well, and so that can actually go far enough to make us ill,” Hollis said.
Not only can stress damage the immune system, but it can also lead to sleep issues, stomach and chest pains, memory issues, lower focus and headaches, according to Mayo Clinic — none of which make it easier to study. Thankfully, healthy study habits and self-care routines can help serve as a buffer against these effects.
Aashi Shah, a third-year neurobiology, physiology and biology major and the advocacy and wellness coordinator for the UC Davis Mental Health Initiative, shared her own tips for self-care amid the study season.
“There are certain things that you can implement even when you are busy with exams; I think a really easy one is just making sure you set aside time in your day for yourself,” Shah said. “That could be cooking yourself dinner, or it could be taking a shower [or] going on a walk.”
Making a study routine can be a great way to structure self-care time into studying. This could mean taking a 15-minute break every hour, a 30-minute break every other hour or setting alarms to signify when a study session is over. Some quick study break ideas could even just be standing up and doing a few stretches, getting a breath of fresh air outside or getting a snack, according to Shah.
Another helpful way Aggies can focus on well-being while studying is by making their study space calming, according to Andrea Barreras, a fourth-year music and communication double major.
“I stay at home to study, so I try to keep my study space as cozy as possible so I can stay comfortable when I study,” Barreras said. “I keep a drink at my desk, whether that’s coffee or tea or water, because it helps me stay grounded. Whenever I’m having trouble focusing, I can just take a drink, and it helps me stay mindful.”
Ensuring that all physical needs are met is another great way to balance self care with studying, with sleep being another, often-overlooked need.
“In college, it’s really important to know that sleep consolidates knowledge,” Hollis said. “On those nights where you’re like, ‘Hmmm, I can study this more or I can go to sleep,’ there’s a point at which you should just go to sleep because you want to keep the stuff you already put in your mind.”
Ultimately, as essential as it is to focus on academic success in classes, it is no less important to focus on your personal wellbeing, according to Shah.
“I think it is important to remember that you are not your achievements, and you are not a checklist of things that you want to accomplish,” Shah said. “You’re a person before that.”
Written by: Amber Warnke — features@theaggie.org
