Do it for you: value yourself for yourself

Editorial: As featured in volume 111, issue 9 of The Collegian.

The Bethel Busy is real, and it isn’t helping anyone. Let’s be honest: Bethel College does not adequately value the mental health of its students. From the recent decision to double the housing costs for students who medically require a single room, to the unnecessarily intense process needed to acquire an emotional support animal (and I am speaking from experience), the college is not respecting emotional accommodations. 

Bethel may not prioritize our mental health, but we can. Despite our packed schedules, we must make time to take care of ourselves. Without balance we’ll all eventually end up burnt out, trapped in a mental crisis. Let’s take a look at some ways to get out of this awful cycle. 

I could not do everything I do on campus without Google Calendar, my planner, and a ridiculous number of to-do lists. I know schedules are boring, but trust me, when you plan out your day by the hour, you’ll realize how much you can actually get done. We are too busy, and it is not healthy or sustainable, but if you schedule your time, you won’t waste it. That being said, you have to schedule absolutely everything: time to scroll mindlessly on Tiktok, hang out with friends, and, most importantly, time to sleep. 

If you are too tired to perform all your planned-out tasks, then you probably aren’t sleeping enough. If you are getting a solid eight hours every night and you’re still lethargic, then you probably aren’t eating well enough.

Sleeping and eating correctly to maintain a high energy level feels obvious — but how many of us are actually doing it?

Those are the essentials, but for many of us living out the essentials does not guarantee stable mental health. We can’t all afford therapy but we do have some other options. Try getting out into nature. Bethel has immediate access to the beautiful Sand Creek Trails. If you aren’t an athlete, make sure you are still moving your body. Consistent exercise is essential to balanced brain chemistry. If you aren’t involved in the arts, make sure you do something creative everyday. Self-expression is essential to emotional processing. 

Finally, please honor your personality type. Not everyone’s college experience looks the same. We don’t all enjoy partying, just like we don’t all enjoy studying. Respect your social stamina; you don’t have to behave like an extrovert in order to enjoy your time at Bethel. 

At the same time, recognize the needs of the people around you. Your friends may not want to hang out with you every night. More often than not, that isn’t a personal affront — they’re probably genuinely too tired. We are not obligated to fulfill every favor asked of us. It is okay to say no, and if you are the one asking, accept that answer. 

We must value our mental health even when Bethel doesn’t. Perhaps the most important lesson we will get from our time here is one we’ll teach ourselves: how to value our own time, energy and emotions.