Posted on Jun 03, 2018 10:54 pm by Jenna Hang, ASDOH ’21
As D1 year wraps up and we enter the peak of boards-studying, the idea of self-care during stressful times has never been more relevant. Whether it’s exercise or getting enough sleep, we should all be taking care to balance our time between school and our personal lives.
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As I gear up to tackle the board exam, here are some of my top methods to help me get through the days:
Exercise! My cure-all to help turn the day around. Wake up lethargic and/or in a foul mood? Drag yourself to the gym and allow yourself to zone out for an hour. Need a break from studying? Roll out a yoga mat and stretch and breathe. Need an excuse to explore a new state/city? Choose a hike and look down at the city from some natural vista point. No matter the type of activity, nothing beats the recharge from exercise — and you remain fit during a stressful year!
Good Food As important as exercise is, it is just as important to nourish your body with good food. Sometimes that means cooking an elaborate meal, and sometimes that means indulging with your friends. Some of the best memories of the year were discovering new restaurants in the area, along with indulging in great desserts. I recommend Dolce Vita Gelato and Grocery if you’re in the mood for some Italian goodness, and Udder Delights for the creamiest milkshake you’ll ever find. Under the hot Arizonian sun, nothing gets better.
Read a Good Book When our days are riddled with PowerPoint slides and our own notes, reading for pleasure is hardly on the radar for most. But I find spending a quiet Friday night in with a good book quite the indulgence — I think it’s because we don’t get to do it often that it feels so indulgent. It’s similar to escaping to different worlds via a movie, but when my eyes are tired from staring at a screen all day, I opt to pick up a physical book instead.
Music Music in all its forms always gives me such comfort — whether it’s playing an instrument, singing, or watching music being performed, I find some of the greatest solace in music. I have a piano that ironically gets its most usage during the most difficult modules, and a singing break is a daily occurrence as I’m studying. Tempe actually has a great musical theater scene, and some great shows run through the ASU Gammage theater. The Phoenix Symphony Hall is also just a short drive away, and who can say no to those dulcet tones?
Make Time for Yourself The most common question I get when I talk about my self-care regimen is, how do you have time, especially without neglecting your studies? And my answer to that is always to prioritize it — I can always find time for things I love. I don’t do all these activities everyday, but I make sure to have my routines that allow me work at least some of them into my daily life: My morning routine involves waking up before the sun rises to fit in a workout or practice some yoga, both of which give me more energy to focus during the long day at school; and my nightly routine involves limiting my screen-time and playing my piano or doing some light reading instead.Balance is key to surviving something like dental school, and luckily we’ve reached the end of another school year. Now I’m off to study some more before relaxing and making the most of the summer before D2 year! Jenna Hang, ASDOH ’21
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