Last week, after days and days of “meaning to” but failing to reach out to a friend, I finally did. A short text and a long phone call later, and I realized I needed to do a better job reaching out to people. As college students, many of us are away from our friends and family for the first time. As honors students, we’re constantly busy and frequently stressed and because of these things, we often get very focused on ourselves and what we individually have going on. No judgment here, I know that I personally continue to fall into this trap. That’s why this week, we’re going to switch up our focus and look at things we can do externally to support the wellbeing of others, in addition to ourselves.
Image from reminders clipart – Clip Art Library (clipart-library.com)
One thing we need to be reminded of more as college students is not to check Canvas more, is not to sleep more, is not to study more, it’s not any of the things that we hear all of the time. No, what we should be reminded of is that it’s not all about us. College can feel overwhelmingly individual, you’re competing against your peers for grades, you’re worried about making it to all your meetings, you’re trying to plan out an internship for the summer. In general, being a college student is an overwhelming experience that can lead you into a trap of worrying only about yourself and what you have going on. Of course, this is completely understandable, you have a lot going on. But one great way to give yourself some distance from this overwhelming feeling and get outside your own worries is to call home. Let me say that again everyone, call home!
Despite the many promises and assurances I gave before leaving for college, I’ve fallen short in how much I call my family and check in on my friends. But when I do make the time to call them, I feel noticeably better, happier, afterwards. As I touched on in a previous post about exercising with a group, interacting with people you care about is a tried-and-true way to boost your mood and reduce stress. One article from Medical News Today describes social interaction as a vaccine because of how, “when we communicate with people face-to-face, it could help to make us more resilient to stress factors in the long run.”
Image from 5 Communication Processes to Improve Digital Projects | Mightybytes
Now, the great part about this is the same effect applies for the person you’re interacting with. So, help your friends out and give them a call! Make a family member’s day by reaching out and asking how they are and saying that you miss them. These interactions will leave everyone involved feeling better. So, one last time, remember to call home.
Until next time,
Avi
Sources: Socialization: How does it benefit mental and physical health? (medicalnewstoday.com)