EDITORIAL: Self-love is self-care

Remember to take time for yourself and stay mindful of stress factors

Here at Humboldt State University, we’re in week five of the semester. We understand that for some this semester will be stressful and we want to encourage you to love yourself by promoting a healthy body and mind.

The most important thing you can do is sleep for eight hours or more, don’t fret on getting assignments done and absolutely do not cram assignments. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the number of students who are lacking sleep or are sleep deprived are at an all time high. Not only can this lead to poorer work quality, but it can also lead to mood swings and higher potentials for motor accidents.

Here are some things that can help you get a good night’s sleep. Drink Chamomile tea before bed; chamomile is known to have properties that induce sleep and it’s a mild effect so it won’t completely knock you out. Another thing that can help you sleep is to exercise often, go on walks or do a full cardio workout. What matters is exerting enough energy to make yourself tired so you knock out when you hit the bed.

Speaking of exercising, it’s very important keep your body active when in college. The NCBI has said that students in university are lacking in physical activity; that is not surprising since we are juggling classes each semester that we don’t have time to even take care of our bodies.

If you are one of those people who don’t have time then walking to class is a good enough exercise, doing stretches is also a good way to exercise. If you do have time and energy to exercise, HSU students are able to use the HSU Student Recreation Center, you just need to bring your student ID to sign up for a membership. It beats having to spend hundreds for a gym membership.

It’s also important to budget your money wisely. Instead of eating out, cook something instead. It’s not only cheaper, it’s also healthy. Another plus side is that it’s also very rewarding to make something delicious. HSU also has the Oh SNAP! pantry that offers HSU students with food, spices and recipes, it’s a good alternative for those who are on a tight budget.

Last but certainly not least, step away from assignments for a little bit and do something that’s fun for yourself. Play a video game, read a book, watch a movie, talk with friends…whatever keeps your mind away from all your stresses.

Stress is a dangerous baggage to carry, which is why you should keep a level head. Some students come from far away locations, HSU has its own Counseling and Psychological Services Resource if you are dealing with stressful events.