I'd like to start this off by shouting out a fantastic project I just recently heard about. They are based out of the UK. They focus on the education system (currently just the UK system) and how they believe schools should be more concerned about the mental health of their students. I think this is just amazing. Their website is www.whatstudentsthink.org (check it out!) They are the reason I am writing this blog entry. It will (hopefully, pending review) be featured on their website.
I remember when I was in school, it was so tough. My mental health had already taken a beating and school wasn't really where I wanted to be at all. It was insanely difficult balancing school along with everything else that was going on for me at home. At the age of 15, I hit rock bottom. My mental health was gone. It just wasn't there anymore. I didn't care. I ended up inpatient at a hospital for a good amount of time. School sucked.
As I look back and reflect on my school years, there are so many things I wish I had known. How to cope, how to take care of myself, how to enjoy myself. That's why I'm writing this. Mental health is so extremely important, especially to a student in school.
Ideally, your morning as a healthy student should look like this; You wake up with plenty of time before it's time to leave, you shower/get dressed/brush your teeth, you eat a HEALTHY breakfast and maybe leave yourself a half hour for your favorite show on whatever streaming service/cable provider you have. Okay, but how many of us actually do that? Not too many. It's so hard to do, especially when school isn't necessarily all that much to look forward to. So, how do we fix that?
Step one. Find a source of happiness! We need to find some source of happiness at school. Whether it's a group of friends, a favorite meal for lunch, a favorite class with a funny teacher, or even something as small as looking forward to reading a book/writing during some free time that day. Once you find that source of happiness, hang on to it. Write it (or multiple things) down on a post-it note and put it on your mirror/bedroom door so that you can see it daily. It'll help to remind yourself of the good things at school.
Step two. Make a routine! This can be a pretty difficult step, especially if you currently wake up ten minutes before your bus gets there. But, hey, I did the same exact thing! The hardest part about making a routine for yourself is sticking to it! The first thing you'll have to do is start setting an alarm Monday-Friday for about an hour to an hour and a half before you need to leave for school. For example, if you leave at 7:15, try to set your alarm for 6/6:15. That is insanely early, I know, but if you start having a routine every morning, you'll be more alert and ready to go for school. I honestly wish I would've done this. Alright, once you decide when to set your alarm, take out some paper and write down some things you want to do every morning and try to set out times for those activities. It should look something like this;
Wake up: 6:00
Yoga: 6:00-6:15
Shower: 6:15-6:30
Eat breakfast: 6:30-6:45
Watch a TV Show: 6:45-7:15
As hard as it'll be, you're going to have to stick to this. Obviously, you can change the activities around, add your own, etc. but it's critical to have a morning routine. As far as your breakfast goes, eat more than just a pop-tart, please! It doesn't have to be huge, but at least a healthy food and a healthy drink. Your body is happier when it's well-fed and taken care of. Plus, you'll feel more energized!
Step three. Know your limits and don't be afraid to ask for a day here and there. Now, I know this is easier said than done in a lot of families. However, you need to be aware of your body and what it's telling you. If you notice that your more irritable, care less about things/people, care less to do things you enjoy, etc. these are all warning signs that your mental health is declining. You may not even notice these, but you might have people notice for you. Listen to them and listen to yourself! If your parents are understanding, ask if you can take a mental health day and stay home from school. If your parents agree, don't take advantage of that. Only do it as you need to. If you can't take a day off from school, set aside one of your weekend days as a mental health day. These are critical! During these times, limit yourself on social media; I find social media worsens my mental health when I'm having a hard time. In addition to limiting social media, limit phone usage in general. Focus on you! Watch your favorite TV shows, spend time with your family, be outside (depending on the weather,) cuddle up in some soft blankets, and just focus on you all day long.
School is tough, it really is. Honestly, I wish I had this mini-guide when I was in school. It could've saved me a lot of trouble. This all might seem like a lot, but if you take some of these tips and apply them to your lives, you'll start to notice some changes soon! I sincerely hope this entry helps even just a few people. Please, take care of you. You're our future!
Love, Aylin
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