With the semester now underway, take a moment to ask yourself how you're doing. How are things feeling? Have you been dialing in key habits to stay on track with your goals and self-care?
One practice that can help is asking yourself at least once a day: how am I doing?
Staying focused on your studies while caring for yourself is a constantly evolving job. Every day is different. Your needs ebb and flow. Your job is to pay attention to your needs as they crop up. If you're lagging in some areas, your body is probably giving you signals.
Once you get into the habit of asking yourself how you're doing, you can follow that up by asking yourself: what do I need? It might be as simple as: I need a drink of water or I need to hang out with my friends. It could be more complex, like: I need therapy.
Experiment with naming your needs so that you can make small shifts in your behavior to start meeting those needs. Naming your needs is the first step toward asking for help. You have access to many resources on your campus, including your TRIO/McNair program. Be sure you're taking advantage of these opportunities. If you feel lost or overwhelmed, try asking your director for advice.
Here are a few more examples to get the juices flowing:
- I've been feeling extra tired in the morning. I need to go to bed a half-hour earlier.
- I've been procrastinating on my research paper. I need to schedule time at the library so I can get a first draft done.
- I've been feeling a little sad. I need to call my mom.
Whatever it is, when you get clear on what you need, it makes taking that next step easier. If you need more quiet time, set some boundaries with your roommates on when you're free to hang out. If you need more calm, set some boundaries with your phone and consider doing activities that don't include being on a device, such as taking a walk in nature.
