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Life has been crazy for the past two years. Between the outbreak of a global pandemic, to political division amongst elections, to school shootings, the world seems to be falling apart. I don’t know about you, but I feel like everywhere I turn, there is more bad news.
For many people, this chronicle of unfortunate events seems impossible to emerge from. After the initial spread of Covid-19 in March 2020, rates of anxiety and depression have been through the roof. In fact, in October 2020, the American Psychiatry Association (APA) released a public poll and the results showed that 62% of Americans felt more anxious than they did in October of 2019. Just months into Covid-19, over half of the American population’s mental health was worsening. Additionally, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) released a report announcing that from August 2020 to February 2021, the percentage of adults suffering from symptoms of an anxiety or depressive disorder increased from 36.4% to 41.5%; and increases were largest amongst adults aged 18-29 years old.
That’s us. College students everywhere have been burdened for the past two years. Our last high school years and/or the beginning of our college years have been turned upside down. Through a frenzy of zoom classes, mandated masks, and quarantine policies changing every week, we haven’t felt stable. Not to mention throwing political uproar, discrimination, and increased violence into the mix. Everywhere we turn, there seems to be another headline. More bad news.
So, in this seemingly impossible world of bad news, is it possible to remain positive? I’m here to tell you that it absolutely is! Here are a few tips and tricks to staying positive:
Your Mental Health and Physical Health are Connected
When your body feels good, your mind will start to feel good too. We want to make sure we are taking care of our body so that it can take care of us. This starts with a few simple things:
Sleep: Sleep is SO important. The National Sleep Foundation advises that healthy adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep each night. I know we are in college and 7 hours of sleep seems impossible to achieve, but try to be mindful about the amount of sleep you are getting. Also, try to maintain a regular schedule of when you go to sleep and when you wake up. This will help regulate your body’s sleep cycle.
Nutrition: We want to make sure that not only are we eating all of our food groups, but that we are eating enough! College students are so quick to skip meals amongst the busyness of classes and extracurriculars. But it is important to make sure we are providing our body with enough fuel and energy to get us through the day!
Body movement: Lastly, we want to make sure we are getting regular body movement every day. This looks different for everybody! Whether you go on a walk with a friend, lift weights in the Cage, bike Viking Trail, go on a hike, or take a yoga class, making sure you move your body in a way that feels good to you is so important! Exercise is not a punishment, but a celebration of all the wonderful things your body can do!
Connect with Friends
Keeping in touch with people and setting aside time to socialize can make such a difference in your mood! Try to set aside time each day to have quality time with the people you love. This can look like eating lunch in the dining hall with your classmates, attending a KCAB event with some friends, a date night on Broad Street with your partner, the list goes on and on. Carving out time to spend with my favorite people is something that always puts me in a better mood! It is so easy to get overwhelmed by the stress of exams, your workload, financial stress, etc. Having time to push those thoughts aside and enjoy good company is a great way to lift your mood.
Connect with Community
Making sure you are connected to a group is such an important aspect of college life. Find a club, organization, scholarship group, etc. that you can join. For me, personally, the groups I am a part of serve as my lifeline. I know I can talk to them or ask them for help when I am overwhelmed or feeling down. Additionally, finding a group of people who have the same interests/goals as you is super uplifting. It is so much fun to relate to people and talk about your shared passions in a safe, open space. Also, volunteering in your community is a great way to spread positivity. Sometimes it can feel as if there isn’t much good left in the world. By lending a helping hand in your community, you can see that there are so many people out there who are pouring good things out into their community and other people’s lives. Attending a BCVS event is a great way to get connected in service!
Self-Care
When most people hear the word “self-care”, they think facemasks, bubble baths, and ordering takeout. In reality, there are SO many forms of self-care, and it is personal. Whatever brings you peace and relaxation is self-care. For some people, that may mean facemasks and bubble baths. But, it can also look like going on a hike in nature, taking a nap on a Sunday afternoon, reading a good book, or going to a football game with friends. Self-care just means that you set aside time to do what makes you happy and giving yourself time to relax. For me, that looks like putting on good movie, or going out to eat with my friends. Pay attention to your mind and body. When you feel yourself starting to get overwhelmed or sad, carve out some time to treat yourself to some time of self-care!
I know sometimes it can be hard to remain positive in these crazy times. But remembering to take care of your body and taking time to do the things that make you happy and healthy is a great way to begin turning it around and rewriting the narrative. Pretty soon your world of bad news will turn into a life of good headlines!
Written by Mollie Martin
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