Mid-Semester Check-In: How to Deal with Mental Health
It is officially the middle of the semester. How are you doing? Can you believe the semester is almost over? I know I can’t but my mental health and stress levels are definitely feeling it. It’s okay if you can feel it too.
As the semester winds down, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed with the amount of work that needs to be done, and when you add that to everything else life throws your way, it can be a lot to handle. That’s why it’s important to check in with yourself.
Take Care of Yourself
Recognizing your needs and taking care of yourself is something we should all be prioritizing, not just in times of high stress. I have come to realize that self-care is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves and our mental health. I know that implementing regular practices into my life has helped me greatly. Self-care comes in many forms and looks different for everyone, so do what’s best for you. I have recently learned that there are multiple types of self-care and there is a range of activities that you can do within those categories. The six common types are emotional, practical, physical, mental, social, and spiritual self-care. Here are some ideas from each category to help inspire your self-care journey:
Do you recognize anything that you are already doing? Is there anything you can start doing? I know that implementing regular practices into my life has helped me greatly. For example, I have been journaling, attending therapy, trying yoga, and talking more openly about my emotions.
Focus on the Now
Something that I have been trying to practice more is focusing on the present. If you’re anything like me, this may sound tricky to do, but trying to focus on the present can help alleviate the stress and anxiety that comes along with everything we’re worried about getting done.
One way to start practicing this is to set realistic goals for yourself, whatever that means for you. Setting smaller goals for yourself can help you complete the bigger projects you no doubt have coming up in your schedule. Your goals can be whatever is most realistic for you, such as completing one assignment a day or even just working on a part of a project every day. This same process can be applied to other aspects of your life too, not just your school work.
Another way to practice staying present is to focus on certain things for a short period of time. For example, I have been trying to focus on what work needs to be done one week at a time. I usually span my weeks from Sunday through Saturday. Having a smaller window as your focal point can reduce the overwhelming feeling that comes along with heavy workloads at the end of the semester. This can also coincide with the goals you set for yourself, whether you plan on breaking your final assignments into smaller weekly assignments, completing your usual weekly tasks, and more.
Find the Good in Every Day
Another practice to help your mental health is to find something good about each day. I know that some days this can be difficult, but recognizing small parts of your day that had a positive impact can help break negative thought cycles and help you find something to look forward to each day. This is a practice I also incorporate into my daily routine. Personally, I keep a journal, and every morning I write down something I look forward to each day, and then at night I write something I am proud of and something I am grateful for. This has been extremely helpful to me with my mental health this semester, as even on days where there might not be anything exciting happening or days that didn’t go as well as others, part of me still remains positive. If this sounds like something that might be helpful for you, I encourage you to give it a try and see if it has the same positive impact on your mental health.
Remember that if you or anyone you know needs assistance, please visit the University Counseling Center’s website at https://www.gvsu.edu/counsel/ or call them at (616) 331-3266.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself for the rest of the semester. You’ve got this!
Morgen Head is a senior studying advertising and Public Relations with an emphasis in PR and a minor in Writing. She is the Committee Chair for GVPRSSA’s DEI committee, a role she served in the Winter Semester of 2023 and is currently serving in the Fall Semester of 2023. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, going on walks, and watching her favorite TV shows. She has worked at GVSU’s Laker Store as a Marketing Associate since May of 2022 and has other internship experience with Gordon Food Service where she worked as their InnoServ Marketing Intern for a summer. After graduation, she hopes to find a career in the education field doing PR and Communication work.