On a college campus, where stress levels are high and sleep levels are low, self care can be of the utmost importance. When people think of self care, they often think of face masks, ice-cream and Netflix. The reality is that self care requires much more than that.

Psychology says that chronic problems like anxiety, depression and procrastination cannot be fixed with lotion and yoga. So what will help?

This semester, a new self care club has started to combat the root of prominent issues facing college students today, such as isolation, time management, negative self-talk and overwhelming social realities. 

Chris Denham ‘21, understands the importance of community in combating common mental health struggles.

“Often times the underlying causes of stress are different from the symptoms,” says Denham. “Having a community with which to discuss stress and mental health is a great alternative to traditional self care methods.”

True self care is not always easy, because it requires people to face their subjective realities. 

The hard truth is that everyone has a unique struggle that is fueled by their personal experiences. Addressing the stress in a supportive community supplies a direct line to the root problem.

Vice President of Self Care Club Margaret Dener ‘22 knows it can be hard to commit yourself to facing your insecurities, bad habits or  fears. 

“A lot of people put off real self care by isolating themselves from others,” says Dener. “Sometimes self care is the hard thing, like realizing it’s time to talk to a professional.”

Self care club offers different kinds of activities to adhere to varying needs. They offer indoor and outdoor activities to get people moving or out of their comfort zone, such as sledding, snowshoeing, hiking and rock climbing. 

The club is also planning to host events where people can talk about the hard things that govern their lives and self-care rituals. 

According to Dener, the club will be having a school counselor come in to talk about ways to manage long term stress. Additionally, the club will be having a seminar on how culture contributes to different types of stress and concepts of self care.

“Seeing counselors in a group setting may make you feel less intimidated about making an appointment for yourself,” says Dener.

Whatever your needs, self care invites you to share your ideas with them so that they can better serve you. Their next meeting is on Feb. 22, 2020 in the Hannon room at 2 P.M.

During the meeting, the club will be making cards to distribute around campus with positive messages for everyone in the community to enjoy.

For more information or questions about the club, contact the exec board @dgsmit18@stlawu.edu.