�Ӱ�ԭ��

Author, rising out of a coffin like a vampire: �Ӱ�ԭ��Hi, yes, hello I�Ӱ�ԭ��m alive.�Ӱ�ԭ��

Readers: �Ӱ�ԭ��Where have you been?�Ӱ�ԭ��

Author coughs due to coffin dust: �Ӱ�ԭ��*Ahem*, Well...�Ӱ�ԭ��

Homework.

That�Ӱ�ԭ��s where I�Ӱ�ԭ��ve been. Planet Homework: home of all things tedious and stress-inducing. At this rate, I may as well go into a canvas-induced coma and just slap a 12-lead on (the EMT and paramedic kids know what this thing is) before doing so. Today is actually the first time in like, uh...

*Author squints at her phone calendar*

A piping hot minute that I�Ӱ�ԭ��ve felt relatively sane. The world doesn�Ӱ�ԭ��t feel like it�Ӱ�ԭ��s crashing down like it has been. My homework is mostly done, I�Ӱ�ԭ��ve figured out the things I�Ӱ�ԭ��ve been trying to figure out, I actually got sleep last night and I�Ӱ�ԭ��m looking forward to going to work today. As a life update, I have taken on a third job working as the social media manager for the Nutritional Sciences Dept. here at UNewHaven (please follow us on the �Ӱ�ԭ��gram ) and it�Ӱ�ԭ��s honestly so much fun. While things are still in the baby giraffe stages of development, I can promise that many exciting things are on the way. Additionally, I am re-applying for research here at the University through the SURF program. For the time being, I�Ӱ�ԭ��ll be keeping my ideas under wraps, but let me tell you:

Give me a lab, some compounds, my lab coat, and a really good Michael Jackson playlist, and you�Ӱ�ԭ��ll be thinking about things you would never have dreamed of.

Sounds pretty cool already, doesn�Ӱ�ԭ��t it?

Yet, with all of this, I'm even wondering how I�Ӱ�ԭ��ve managed to balance it all. This, quite frankly, is a lot to balance and there are days when I have thrown the towel in. Motivation and discipline are great tools for achievement, but so is a little something I like to call:

Self-Care.

Self-care, as defined by Urban Dictionary is �Ӱ�ԭ��putting absurd amounts of parmesan cheese on your spaghetti�Ӱ�ԭ�� (Croissantboy), �Ӱ�ԭ��an umbrella term that Twitter/Tumblr SJWs [social justice warriors] use to excuse their poor financial decisions. Why spend money on things like rent/bills when you can buy coloring books from Whole Foods?�Ӱ�ԭ�� (LolWut05), and my own practice of:

Sunglasses, Taylor Swift, coffee, and plant shopping.

Though, the parmesan-spaghetti and Whole Foods are very close runners up. (Whole Foods always has bangers, for whatever reason. I digress).

Essentially, self-care is taking care of your emotional, physical, and mental health by doing things that you find fulfilling for you. Maybe your version of self-care is eating Coco-Puffs while watching a Disney movie. For others, it could be a trip to a rage room and letting everything that you�Ӱ�ԭ��ve been shoving away out of your system. Whatever it may be, all that matters is that you are taking the time to actively care about yourself. It doesn�Ӱ�ԭ��t need to be big or small, but what matters most is that you keep the promises you tell yourself. If you want to do skincare, do it. Want takeout? Get it. Taking care of yourself is not supposed to be a chore: you deserve to treat yourself with the same kindness, grace, and generosity that you give to the world around you.

Maybe you�Ӱ�ԭ��re not that nice to the world, but you�Ӱ�ԭ��re a human being. You deserve nice things. Life is too short to ignore that, to ignore you.

And I know for a darn well fact that half of you are going to read this, make a promise to do a facemask, and then �Ӱ�ԭ��forget�Ӱ�ԭ�� before being swept up in homework. I�Ӱ�ԭ��ve done this countless times to myself before. Y�Ӱ�ԭ��know the whole self-sabotage lying �Ӱ�ԭ��I�Ӱ�ԭ��ll do it later�Ӱ�ԭ�� thing?

Haha, yeah, that. Stop that.

By not following up on those little coffee dates or skincare days you�Ӱ�ԭ��ve promised yourself in the past, you form a lack of trust in yourself. Repeat this cycle, and it�Ӱ�ԭ��ll start affecting other things like hanging out with friends or keeping promises you�Ӱ�ԭ��ve made to others as a whole. Trust me on that one.

So, know what we�Ӱ�ԭ��re going to do today? (Well, mainly what I�Ӱ�ԭ��m going to do).

We are going to go downtown, and we�Ӱ�ԭ��re going to have some fun. I used to do it a lot last year �Ӱ�ԭ�� bouncing from cafe to bookstore to coffee shop, just giving myself time to explore my surroundings and interact with a whole variety of different people. That�Ӱ�ԭ��s something I�Ӱ�ԭ��ve learned to appreciate about myself, really: my people person-ry. I like talking (9/10 times) with anyone and everyone, as I believe there is something to be learned from each and every single interaction. People are cool. Everyone�Ӱ�ԭ��s backstory of their life, what colors they like or the reason why they toss the tomato from their burger. You�Ӱ�ԭ��d be amazed at what people can teach you, even if they�Ӱ�ԭ��re the same age you are. If you�Ӱ�ԭ��re not a people person though, I totally get that. Though, try people watching. Coming up with lip-read subtitles for a couple�Ӱ�ԭ��s argument can be fun.

When it comes to self-care for myself on the more generalized side of things, I tend to follow a fairly common practice.

Anything with an asterisk will be delved into greater detail later on :D

For my mental and emotional health:

• Journaling, either as a brain dump or answering a specific prompt
• Going to a therapist (Sam, if you�Ӱ�ԭ��re reading this, you�Ӱ�ԭ��re fantastic, and I will see you soon)
• Getting outside and breathing fresh air
• Reading. Learning new things (brain cannot get stale at all costs)
• Engaging in joy-inspiring activities (video games, board games, hanging out with friends, being social)

For my physical health:

• Following doctor�Ӱ�ԭ��s orders
• Walking, Pilates, hiking
• Skin and body care*

Please note that the 19-year-old blogger isn�Ӱ�ԭ��t a dermatologist and has never seen your skin before; don�Ӱ�ԭ��t take her recommendations as medical advice. Please consult a doctor n�Ӱ�ԭ�� stuff, or your mom.

Alright, alright, alright: the skin and body care routine. I feel as though a lot of women �Ӱ�ԭ�� influencers or not �Ӱ�ԭ�� have a pretty solid routine, even if it�Ӱ�ԭ��s nothing crazy. For my own self, acne is annoying and while I accept it�Ӱ�ԭ��s convenient existence on my face (of all things, obviously), I do try and manage it. How? Well, for starters:

• CeraVe Foaming Cleansing Wash
• Clinique�Ӱ�ԭ��s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
• CeraVe�Ӱ�ԭ��s Retinol Serum
• Be careful with this
• Retinol is a type of acid that�Ӱ�ԭ��s used to get rid of old skin cells to promote the growth of new ones, resulting in expedited skin cell turnover
• Can burn your skin if it�Ӱ�ԭ��s sensitive
• Clindamycin Benzoyl Peroxide Gel (I forget the concentration, and this is also prescription-based)
• Adapalene is a close runner-up, though; you can get it over the counter
• Other stuff:
• �Ӱ�ԭ��Cake My Day�Ӱ�ԭ�� facemask (smells stupidly good)
• Facemasks in general
• I make one using honey, oat flour, salt, and some sugar (helps exfoliate, hydrate, and heal)
• Ulta has good stuff (I do not like Sephora)
• Maderma → helps with the appearance of scars; works with face + body
• Equipment
• Microdermabrasion roller-needle-thingy
• Helps your skin generate new skin cells to help the appearance with scars
• Please disinfect this prior to use; you do not need a skin infection or more acne as a result
• Gua Sha
• Helps bring blood to the surface of your skin (promotes cellular growth)
• Helps drain lymph (fluid) from one�Ӱ�ԭ��s face
• Microfiber towels

Does being a blogger mark me as an influencer? God knows I hope not.

When it comes to general body care, I just make sure to invest in quality products. I enjoy using mostly vegan or plant-based things (i.e., Love, Beauty, & Planet products �Ӱ�ԭ�� they have a really good shampoo + conditioner line) as that makes me feel good externally and internally.

When it comes to physical self-care, I typically advise to research things first before getting them.

Beatrice Glaviano �Ӱ�ԭ��26 is a nutrition sciences major at the University of New Haven.