San Jose City College has made self-care workshops available to all students to help alleviate stress and anxiety and to guide improving students’ self-care during the current state of the country.

In a self-care workshop over a Zoom meeting, self-care was described as a very important concept. Without it people tend to not manage their stress, which then leads to a toppling amount of stress that thus crashes down on the person and leaves them overwhelmed and confused.

There is a variation of self-care ideas that are as follow:
Mental
Spiritual
Physical
Emotional
Financial
Social
Creative

Within these types of self-care, there’s plenty of activities you can do such as splurging on a gift for yourself, having a small social group gathering, praying, starting a new art project and being in your safe place.

“We need to give ourselves time, too,” Host of the meeting and SJCC Case Manager Elisse Reyna said.

Self-care helps mitigate one’s stress. It’s a preventative act for stress and anxiety. Doing so helps people finally realize and understand their needs in their life.

While doing any act of self-care, it is important to know that it is not selfish or narcissistic. Also do not view it as another task on your list. Do it because it benefits you.

Self-care is not a miracle, doing it once won’t cure all problems. It shouldn’t be costly much like a lot of the products that claim they will help you.

Finally, self-care is not an excuse for you to blow off all your responsibilities or to make unhealthy lifestyle choices.

“Balance in life is important,” co-host and mental health counselor Mirna Pacheco-Walker said.

To build a self-care routine, start with self-reflection about what is bothering you, how you feel, what needs to change. Then move on to your individual preferences on what you enjoy.

One thing to note is that some things might not be available year-round so you must learn to adapt and be flexible and have other options.

To adapt to a weekly self-care time, you have to have time designated for you and just for you.

“Your basic needs must be met first … sleeping eight hours a night, drinking plenty of water,” Reyna said.

Some simple yet effective self-care tips can be done to help you daily.

There is a lot to learn about yourself and plenty of things to delve into that will manage your stress. The ideology of self-care is important as during election time and finals, students are heavily stressed.

If you need any type of help or support in any form, please contact San Jose City College Case Manager Elisse Reyna at (408)780-8497 or via email at [email protected] Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.