Another semester in the books. This school year we were gifted with a Starbucks truck named Teresa and still did not get our insane traffic handled. But that is all in the past. Now, it is time to have some time to focus on ourselves.
It is no surprise that a few of us have struggled throughout the semester. A lot of students have a deteriorating mental health. CNN reported, “An estimated 1 in 5 adults in the United States lives with a mental illness, and young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 are disproportionately affected. The share of college students reporting anxiety and depression has been growing for years, and it has only gotten worse during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
College can be rough. It is one of the most taxing experiences of our lives. The transition into adulthood can be a challenge. This is why we need breaks.
Winter break is our time to relax, recuperate and take time to care for ourselves because we were not able to during school.
There are so many different reasons as to why focusing on mental health is essential.
For starters, improved mental health can be the key to academic success, which all students should be striving for. TimelyCare reports, “Campus-wide mental health resources for students to seek support could be the key to their academic success. A national survey found that 66% of college students felt counseling services improved their academic performance.”
Good mental health can help us take on battles such as stress and being overwhelmed with schoolwork.
It is crucial that we take this break to improve our well-being not only for ourselves but our futures.
And speaking of our future selves, it is important that we take care of our mental health because of how it translates to our physical health.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports, “Mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health. For example, depression increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.”
Good mental health has many benefits, and we must take the time to take care of ourselves so we can have the best future possible.
Now that we have established how good mental health is essential to our college experience and life moving forward, how should we be spending our winter break?
First of all, we need to relax. School is finally done with and now we need to make the most out of the next month. This could be practicing self-care, reading a new book, picking up a new relaxing hobby such as knitting or even trying physical activities such as yoga.
It is also important that we cut out any unhealthy habits that may be contributing to our debilitating mental health. Mayo Clinic reports these unhealthy habits “may include drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, smoking, eating too much, or using illegal substances. These habits can harm your health and increase your stress levels.”
We should be practicing healthy habits such as getting on a good sleep schedule, eating healthy and socializing with our loved ones.
Mental health is one of the most important things for college students. So please, take this break and make time for yourself so you can be the best you can be.
