3 ways to maintain your mental health this school year, by LD

This article is written for yooou! by 18-year-old, LD.

With the school year approaching I have decided I need to be more intentional about prioritizing my mental health in the time of COVID.

Spending hours on end this spring glued to my laptop and stuck in zoom rooms made me realize how important it is to get sunlight, to be outside breathing fresh air and to be separated from my devices.

Throughout this upcoming school year, our schedules might look different then they usually do, we might be home a lot more frequently, we might not get to see our friends as often and we will need to take more time for ourselves.

Here are three things you can do to maintain a healthy mentality throughout this upcoming school year. 

1. Make yourself a meditation playlist. I have made myself a collection of playlists on Spotify that appeal to every emotion that I could possibly feel. Listening to music can be such a moving experience and can really keep you centered when you are feeling a little bit off. Throughout quarantine I relied very heavily on music to pull me through moments of disappointment, angst and loneliness. With all the ups and downs that come with a normal school year, this COVID back to school season is bound to bring up some difficult emotions. 

2. Stretching and meditating in the morning is something that can help brighten your mood and gives you time to reflect on your goals and intentions for the day. I find that giving myself a little bit of time in the morning whether it is a walk, a quiet breakfast or intentional meditation helps me remain thoughtful about how I use my time.

3. My final suggestion is find audiobooks that are stimulating. This is a really great alternative to watching Netflix or watching television. It is an enjoyable and engaging alternative to spending time on your electronics and will help to keep you focused on academia throughout the school year. 

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