Self-Care Season
It’s that time of the year again when the excitement of the new semester is long behind us and the routine of the work and school week feels more and more taxing on our bodies. The heightened anxiety we thought we left behind last finals season is slowly creeping back into our lives and looking to settle in for the next month or so. (I know, not the most uplifting intro but I’m getting there!)
In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, I write this as a self-care reminder to my friends, fellow BLSers, and myself. At this point in the semester, many of us feel like we’re drowning in school/work related obligations all while trying to maintain our personal lives and relationships. What’s a law student to do?
We all have our own “treat yo self” mechanisms for getting by and to de-stress. Some of my favorites include going for a walk around the neighborhood, drinking tea, and (of course) watching an episode of Seinfeld. If you’re a 1L and haven’t narrowed down a “treat yo self” means that work for you — anything that is as far removed from law school and healthy as possible is likely your best bet.
Indeed, the holiday season can sometimes be a sad time when thinking back on the year and seeing how much has changed and remembering the ups and downs. This year, I call on y’all (and myself) to focus more on the changes we might not be so happy about (to motivate us to make the changes we would like in our lives) and focus on the things we appreciate (the big and the small). Instead of an “airing of grievances” this year, we can have an airing of things we appreciate (“appreciatives”). This is a little cheesy, yes, but should be liberating from the stress and negativity surrounding finals.
Iwill also take this time to shamelessly advertise the upcoming BLSPI “Canned Immunity” Drive. In the spirit of an airing of “appreciatives”, donating and giving back can be “soup” (pun intended) for the soul. Don’t forget to bring canned food to your classes the week of November 13th!
At this point, you are probably reading this and thinking what a “bleeding heart” article this turned out to be. Still, I hope that this approach to the holiday season will help cleanse your finals season and holiday seasons beyond law school.
Good Luck everyone — you got this!
xoxox
