Clear skies. Low near 5F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Clear skies. Low near 5F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.

As students complete the last of their midterms, the anticipation for a well-deserved break builds and grows stronger by the day. 

Mental health professionals at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are urging students to practice self-care over this spring break and beyond. Jennifer Holt, a UNL Counseling and Psychology Services counselor, said that burnout happens when students don’t take good care of themselves. 

Burnout can manifest itself among college students who have suffered chronic stress for an extended period of time in the form of decreased motivation, detachment and extreme fatigue, according to EduMed. 

Holt said students can combat burning out by doing things they enjoy. 

“I'm a huge proponent for taking time out to do fun stuff and to take those breaks and get more out of college than just the books and studying and tests,” she said. “College is about finding out who you are as a person and exploring different interests and hobbies.”

Sydney Kimnach, a senior fisheries and wildlife major and well-being ambassador, said that self-care is about taking the time to meet your own needs.

“It is engaging in activities that will help reduce stress or help you cope with whatever it is you're dealing with,” said Kimnach. “It’s whatever you need to do to have a well-balanced and happy life.”

She also said that college students these days are not given enough time to practice self-care because their time is divided among so many responsibilities, but this spring break will give them an opportunity to devote themselves to it. 

Kimnach said her favorite self-care activities include practicing focused meditation, taking short naps and lighting scented candles in her dimmed bedroom. 

Both Holt and Connie Boehm, director of Big Red Resilience & Well-being, said the most important self-care activity for college students is getting enough rest. 

“We get so used to going 120 miles per hour,” Holt said. “It's really important to be able to stop and be able to relax. There's more to life than going 120 miles per hour.”

She said eight hours is the ideal amount of sleep students should aim for, but Holt understood it is nearly impossible for them to prioritize sleep right now when midterms are happening.

Boehm encouraged students to explore the BRRWB’s website for information on self-care tips and connect with a well-being ambassador . 

A 2020 study on around 1,200 well-being assessments gathered from UNL students indicated that out of all the nine dimensions of well-being BRRWB focuses on, students were struggling with emotional, financial and physical well-being the most. 

“Self-care is not just a one-day or two-day thing,” Boehm said. “It's something you need to build into your routine, and spring break is a great time to really focus on looking into that and being realistic about what you'll continue doing in that self-care routine.”

Another way for students to take care of themselves is to spend time with people that are important to them. Holt said, as a counselor, getting together with friends is one of the most popular self-care activities she has seen among students. 

Holt said it is hard for students, especially freshmen, to be away from their families for a long period of time, so spring break will be the perfect time for them to go home and reconnect with them.

“It can give you that sense of not being alone and having a good support system is always going to be helpful,” Kimnach said. 

A 2019 study from Birchbox revealed one in three Americans feel guilty for taking time for themselves. To that, Boehm said self-compassion is a self-care tip people have to learn because they are often taught not to put themselves first. 

“We talk a lot to our students about how you need to think of how you would treat a friend and treat yourself that same way,” Boehm said. “If we're not healthy and practicing good self-care, we won't be able to help or connect with family or friends.”

Holt shared that spending meaningful time with yourself can feel restorative as well. 

“You can just totally let go,” she said. “You don't have to get ready. You can stay in your jammies. You can read a book. You get to just be you.”

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.