September marks the beginning of National Self-Care Awareness Month, a perfect reminder that we should all be a little kinder to ourselves. 

Mental health on college campuses is an issue. The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds reported that 73% of college students experience some sort of mental health crisis and 80% reported that they have felt overwhelmed in the past year. While strides are being made in the communication of these issues, not enough is being done to combat the negative impacts of mental health on young people. National Self-Care Awareness Month is the perfect time to start taking the time to combat this crisis.

While the term “self-care” was first popularized in the 1950s, the term has taken on new meaning in the aftermath of a global pandemic and the rise in mental health awareness. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines self-care as literally “care for oneself.” This can mean a variety of things to different people but almost always involves a relaxing activity or doing something healthy for yourself. 

Approaching the end of another year, starting a new semester at school or saying goodbye to friends and family for the first time are all life altering events, and without the proper regulation, our bodies and minds may not be equipped to handle them. 

According to a study on the impacts of self-care on medical students completed by the National Library of Medicine, the students that engage in self care report “less stress and a higher quality of life” as opposed to those students who do not. By promoting the incorporation of self-care habits throughout the month of September, people may improve their qualities of life with only a few simple adjustments. 

The Counseling Services Center (CSC) is a great resource for information regarding self-care practices and hosts a number of events throughout the year. By attending just one of the 16 groups and workshops hosted by the center, students can learn valuable coping skills, develop healthy relationships with themselves and their peers and engage in an act of self-care all in one. CSC at SUNY Oswego also offers free student counseling services each semester, a great opportunity for those looking to learn new skills in stress and anxiety management. 

The Counseling Outreach Peer Educators (COPE) are also a fantastic resource on campus to learn to unwind and help you find balance in everyday life. The COPE team hosts a number of events each semester ranging from friendship bracelet making to journaling sessions. Practicing the valuable skills that help regulate and balance emotions in a group setting may help those healthy practices become regular habits. 

It is not acceptable to continue to ignore the issues that lie in the mental health crisis among college students. This September, take the time to practice “self-care” and be mindful of others’ struggles.

To learn more about campus resources pertaining to mental health, visit https://www.oswego.edu/counseling-services/. 

Photo via the SUNY Oswego website