Remember to take the time to take care of yourself.
As a student, school tends to become very stressful and we need our own time to relax and reflect. Students usually find their own ways to unwind from all their studies whether it’s by listening to music, reading a book, doing facemasks, or taking naps. Having a routine for yourself as a student allows you to relieve stress, tension, and anxiety -- and feel refreshed.
Skin-Care Routines
Having a skin-care routine to follow each day allows you to take your mind off of school and focus on yourself. Having a different morning and evening skin-care routine is very important because in the morning you want to feel awake and fresh and in the evening you want to feel prepared to sleep. Try incorporating cleansers, moisturizers, serums, toners, and face masks into your daily routine (note that some products might be best to use every other day). You can search for information about specific products based on your skin type (oily, dry, sensitive) or visit a dermatologist for professional advice and to find the products that are best for you. As a high school student, having a skin-care routine is very important to me because taking care of your skin at an early age will benefit you as you get older. Usually, during testing week, I pay especially close attention to my skin because stress and anxiety are two factors that cause a student to break out.
Liz Fourez, a home and lifestyle blogger, provides some natural skin-care hacks that work together to clean, heal, smooth, and moisturize the skin. Here is Liz Fourez daily routine:
Morning
- Cleanse with raw manuka honey
- Tone with lavender witch hazel
- Moisturize with jojoba oil + lavender
Evening
- Remove makeup with coconut oil
- Cleanse with hemp seed oil + lavender
- Clay mask (only once a week)
- Tone with apple cider vinegar
- Moisturize with jojoba oil + lavender
Source: Natural Skin Care Routine, Liz Fourez
Can Distractions be a Part of Self-Care?
Distractions can, in fact, change a person's mood depending on what they are doing and how they are feeling. Some people may read a book, listen to music, or take a nap after a long day of classes. If you find your mood is negative, you should do something you enjoy as this allows your mind to shift gears and to focus on positive things. Reading can be useful to help you escape reality and become a part of the story. It’s similar when watching a television show: you allow yourself to become engrossed in the show and end up feeling like you can relate to the show and the characters. Taking naps can also be a form of positive distraction, as they provide a break from school work and responsibilities; they let you simply focus on feeling rested. Usually, after a long day of classes, when I have the chance, I try to take a 20-30 minute nap. This gives me the energy to continue my studies, extracurricular activities, or homework. Besides, students love taking naps!
Another form of distraction is listening to music; whether it’s classical, rap, pop, or country, it can be a way to unwind. Personally, after a long day of classes, I tend to listen to energetic loud music. It helps me feel energized and focused as I concentrate on the lyrics or bass of a song. Music can benefit you mentally and spiritually, as well as help reduce stress. An article written by Susan at Knops provides 5 reasons why loud music provides relief for our body and mind:
- “A song sounds better when it’s played loud: being able to hear more details and picking up different sounds means the music sounds better."
- “Loud music relieves stress: the sacculus in our inner ear has a direct connection with the pleasure centers in the brain."
- “Loud music is a stimulant: loud music works like a stimulant- just like caffeine, alcohol, and exercise."
- “Music evokes emotions: people who react to music have strong connections between the part of the brain that interprets sound and the part that creates emotion."
- “Loud music blocks out the world: sometimes blocking out the world and just enjoying the emotions of music is a much-needed experience."
Source: 5 Reasons why music is self-medicating, Susan (Knops)
Self-care routines are universal -- all students across the world have their own routines and their own way to focus on making themselves feel less stressed and more self-aware.
Kristen Rossette
Kristen Rossette is a high school student at Cristo Rey New York graduating in 2020. She is currently an intern at Macmillan Learning in the Marketing department. Born and raised in Bronx, New York, you can usually find her in the city seeking opportunities in the fashion industry or for new places to eat!
