Self-Care in School
Self-care is a phrase that I think has become even more popular over the years and it is something that is needed to be practiced as a graduate student. In my time here at Newhouse it has taught me that to do well in such a beautifully demanding scenario like Newhouse, self-care needs to be a priority.
Sometimes education gets placed on such a high mantle it comes off unrealistic yet as a student here you quickly see how realistic it is to have to navigate your pending career and yourself the person. To master it, quickly figuring out where you matter on the list of priorities is key.
When I think of self-care, I think of the importance of being calm and peaceful. It is needed as you are tackling your assignments for your classes and it is probably one of the better ways to reduce having a bad day. Before coming to graduate school, I never thought about self-care but now I do. I think about how much it can make a difference in how you approach your classes. When thinking about graduate school it should be on your mind and I feel like Newhouse is catching on to that, it recognizes its students need support not only academically but mental health wise as well. It is becoming more part of conversation here all the time and that is something that I am glad for. The more schools like this one recognize that students are also people, the better.
As you spring from one semester to the next, it is best to find a simple routine that can be done daily. Newhouse is great and school is important but it only matters once your mind and body are fully present to take part in it. Find the right tools, be it a journal, going for walks, meditation or getting together with friends and just laughing. Making your wellness key to how you approach your life and responsibilities will only make it that much easier to handle. It can be as simple as getting enough sleep at night and eating a full meal. Those two things alone sometimes can be the difference between seeing the darkness of the world or your work and seeing the benefits. You and your health matter. Remember that going forward.
Taking classes here caused me to begin paying attention to my health because it always felt like there was something else to do. Feeling the pressure of needing to always do something else would get to me. The only way to tackle it was by returning to self-care basics like sleeping, eating a good meal, working out and journaling. The more I journaled or slept or ate well or worked out suddenly improved my outlook and my motivation instead of fearing when something might get not done. Taking care of yourself is critical as you are on this academic journey and you will feel and see a difference.
The key reason for taking care of yourself is because when participating in a school like Newhouse, your journey may be vastly different from your classmates. Each of you will be on your own paths and you just happen to cross each other at this moment. Graduate school in its entirety will introduce you to a new area of yourself. Be open to whomever that part of you is but do so with a clear mind and heart. The great thing about a school like Newhouse is that you can embrace the fact that it will challenge you with the chance to go beyond what you thought you were capable of doing and in the end you walk away enlightened not just with job skills but with a better understanding of yourself. It is a good thing and you will be better off for it; I know that I am. It just all depends on how open you are to the experience as along as you do that, Newhouse will give you more than just a degree.
