With the college application season upon many seventeen-year-olds, taking care of oneself while also completing hundreds of tasks for college can be a raft that seniors haven't been able to navigate through yet. Calendars and agendas read, finish five essays, draft the common app activities list, apply for scholarships, while also keeping up with one's extracurriculars and personal projects. This agenda can be extremely overwhelming, especially when seeing people around you competing in prestigious programs and attaining stats you could only dream of achieving.

The feeling of being behind or not enough is common to most teenagers I’ve spoken to during this process, and we, as students, therefore neglect our personal health to focus on other priorities. First of all, I get it. I know it can be extremely difficult to find time to take care of yourself, especially after everything we have to accomplish. Even for me, my day consists of essay writing, college counseling, SAT prep, extracurriculars, and therefore leaves room for nothing else.

However, it is important not to neglect your mental health in the sacrifice of keeping up with these applications. So that's why this list. It is simply a few small tasks you can implement into your daily routine that are manageable and leave you feeling better afterwards.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

1. Swapp Nighttime Scrolling With Reading

As a teenager myself, a lot of my nights ended with me doomscrolling because it felt like a reward after my hard work. But especially during this time, when all our work seems to be on a screen, giving yourself a break from the screen light can be a reward in itself. Something as small as 20 minutes of reading can change your mood and positively affect your sleep. It is a small sacrifice that will help your brain take a break from devices and unwind in a healthy way.

Take the Quiz: Discover Your Ideal Stress-Relieving Hobby

Everyone deals with stress differently, and finding the right hobby can help you relax and unwind. Take this quiz to find out which stress-relievin...

2. Stay Healthy

This is a very broad task, but also one of the hardest to accomplish. I cannot stress enough how important it is to stay healthy during this process, and there are plenty of ways to do so:

• Working Out - This means different things to different people. For some, it may mean hour-long sessions that leave you sweaty but accomplished at the end. For others, it may mean hopping on the treadmill even if it is for just 20 minutes. Whichever one you choose, working out is a great way to stay active and get moving when all you have been doing is sitting in front of a computer all day. For me personally, this means taking time to go to my gym or home gym on days when I have nothing to do, or taking a small stroll in the evening when school work and stress get to my head. That leads me to my next suggestion.
• Talking a Walk - At times when working out feels like too much effort, or maybe you don't have time, taking a small stroll, even if it's for 10 minutes, can lighten up your mood and fuel your body with energy. We spend so much time sitting down, whether it is on a desk or a bed, that we often forget to get up and move, so it's essential to do what your body needs, even at times when you don't want to.
• Eating Healthy - Keeping track of your protein, fruits, and vegetables can be so beneficial for your body during these times of stress. And while indulging in your cravings and eating junk food is completely okay, make sure you find a balance by managing your healthy intake at the same time. I love getting a snack when I’m working, and sometimes grabbing fruits or a granola bar instead of chips and crackers leaves me feeling overall better in my body and more energized.
• Staying Hydrated - Make sure you are keeping track of how much water you drink in a day. With our busy schedules, it can be really easy to neglect drinking water because of everything going on. I like to establish a routine for when I should drink water (when I wake up, after each class, after dinner, before bed), and although it may sound silly, having this routine helps me remember to stay hydrated throughout the day.

I've noticed that after staying healthy, I feel more accomplished at the end of the day, and even if I wasn't able to get a lot of my work done, I can tell myself, hey! At least you were healthy today. Implementing these habits into your routines can impact your productivity, mindset, and motivation overall, also helping you with the college process.

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

3. Create A Schedule

Make a schedule that fits YOUR needs. If confused, there are plenty of resources online for students just like you, but make sure you tailor them to your goals. Also, when creating a schedule, give yourself some grace.

Don't write, wake up at 5 am, and take a break at 1 pm; that is unrealistic and extremely unhealthy. Your schedule should strike a balance between productivity and rest. Use tools like the Pomodoro technique, which sets a timer for 20 minutes and gives you a 5-minute break. This ensures that you don't get burnt out and can also positively impact your mood.

4. Get Enough Sleep

While this may be stressing you out, neglecting sleep is never an option. Aim for at least 6-7 hours every day to reduce stress and improve overall productivity. As I like to say, 8 hours of sleep a day... keeps the burnout away!

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, while this may be a stressful time for a lot of students, implementing healthy practices into one's daily routine can impact overall well-being, productivity, and mental health. Hence, I encourage you to try these small but effective habits and reflect on how you feel after.