The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the lives of college students around the world. For most of us, the sudden withdrawal from our campus and community has been a stressful experience.
To help you cope with this challenging period, consider the following tips for staying well from OTC Counseling Services:
- Maintain routines as much as possible. Whether you are returning home or participating in online learning try to maintain your typical schedule throughout the day.
- Practice healthy habits and the kinds of self-care that most benefit you. Prioritize getting a healthy amount of sleep, eating well, avoiding alcohol, and moving or exercising regularly.
- Avoid crowds — but stay connected. College closures can mean you might find yourself distanced from the people you would normally see on campus. If so, make the effort to stay connected through social media, email, texting, and video calls. Take advantage as well of new opportunities to see friends and loved ones close-by.
- Seek news only from reliable sources, and only in short stints. As with all things, we can find ourselves over-consuming news and updates. Try not to become absorbed in the coverage for long periods of time, and find opportunities to appropriately disconnect.
- Take breaks to ease your mind and distract yourself when you start to worry. Play a game. Watch a movie. Take a yoga class. Try a meditation app. Visit this link for more coping skills.
About OTC Counseling Services
OTC Counseling Services is a team of licensed mental health counselors who offer a wide range of confidential, professional counseling services free of charge to currently enrolled students. Click here to learn more or request an appointment.