My Favorite Ways to Treat Myself During Midterms

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Midterms are here, and I know I’ve been feeling the weight of them.

Studying, taking tests, getting scores back, just to repeat the process every week, if not every day.

Exhausting.

Here are some of my favorite ways I like to treat myself during this time!

  1. Yotopia – Go get some froyo by yourself or with friends!
  2. Eat out at your favorite restaurant or fast-food chain around campus.
  3. Go shopping! Take a bus to the Coralville Mall.
  4.  Take a nap! Super simple, but always a good choice.
  5. Do something you enjoy for a study break, you deserve it 🙂

Even Hawkeyes need a break sometimes. Make sure you take care of both your physical and mental well-being.

Lots of love,
Sophia

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Studying With a Heavy Heart

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How do you study with a heavy heart?

The duality of college life, and how total our experience of living here is, means that life doesn’t slow down for you – even when you need it to.

Your classes don’t come to a halt when you have a bad day.

Or when you’re going through a breakup.

And the attendance policy certainly doesn’t care that homesickness feels more like heartache.

But there are ways to go about navigating this feeling, so let’s talk about it.

The most important part of your entire life, and entire experience here, should be you.

Full stop.

If you are going through a mental health crisis or a hard time, and it’s not getting easier.

Reach out to University Counseling, take a nap, take a warm shower, treat yourself to a meal outside of campus dining, call your parents, skip a class if you need it, or reach out for help.

Everyone here wants the best for you; everybody knows struggle in some shape or another. There is no shame in being vulnerable, especially during a hard time.

Take care of yourself, because you only have one you.

Lots of love,
and know that I’m right here with you,
Sophia

 

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Mom, I’m Sick

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It happens to the very best of us. No matter how much we try to avoid it, or how frequently you wash your hands, EVEN if you cover your mouth when someone coughs in a lecture.

Everybody gets sick.

So, what do you do now?

You’re away from home. You don’t have your parents to look after you, to go get medications. It can be hard. But it’s important to not let yourself be overwhelmed or too sad.

My best advice as someone currently in revival from the infamous dorm bug is to prepare in ADVANCE. Get basic medications (DayQuil, NyQuil, Advil, Cough Drops) prior to when you need them. And do the same for foods that you can make in your dorm! No one wants to stumble down to the dining hall for every meal when they can’t even hear themselves think.

Take a warm shower, call your parents, go to sleep, it’s going to be okay.

Rest up, Hawkeyes, the semester has just begun…

Sending health,
Sophia

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The World Doesn’t Hate You, It’s Just After 9PM

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Give yourself some grace.

In the simplest terms, that’s what I’m here to tell you.

College in itself is inherently such an anxiety-provoking experience, and it can feel isolating and overwhelming for many people, including me.

But if you’re having one of those days, or nights in particular, where it just feels like everything is going wrong. Maybe you have 5 assignments due, or you feel like everyone is making friends easier than you are. Or maybe you just liked how you looked better last week versus this one.

I want you to take a deep breath, go take a warm shower, get some food, put on a show or something you like to watch, and let that breath go. Because it’s really, truly, going to be okay.

Nothing is ever as scary or detrimental as it seems to be when you’re staring at your ceiling at 2 am. So don’t let the 9 pm scaries get to you. We’re all doing the best we can, and I couldn’t be prouder.

Lots of love,
Sophia

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