(Photo by: Jasmine Mills)

As finals approach and more stressors arise, self care can start to feel like just another task on the neverending to-do list of college students. Thankfully, Student Life Ambassador Nicole Ortega Mosqueda came up with a way to put more energy into your tank.

The Student Lounge is hosting Self Care Day on April 27-28 from 12-2 p.m. This is a two-day event that will help recharge, refocus and reground you to yourself.

“Students often have stressful days” Ortega Mosqueda said, “Self Care Day gives them a chance to take a breather and relax.”

The event, hosted by SART and DART, is returning after a successful launch last year, when it was first created by Ortega Mosqueda. After a strong student turnout and positive feedback, organizers decided to bring it back with a multitude of activities focused on both fun and relaxation. This year, the event will be led by Maya De Silva Abreu, Student Life Ambassador in Student Activities.

On day one, Self Care will take place in the Student Lounge and focus on low-pressure, creative expression. Students will be invited to participate in the exciting vision board making station. These are hands-on artistic activities that will pull students away from the stress of college coursework and into calm, mindful creation.

Day two will expand into the COM Plaza, featuring a full range of activities and giveaways. Students can expect:

• Free ice cream vouchers for the first 100 attendees.
• An ice cream truck from MELTBOX, serving popular selected flavors.
• Hand wax relaxation station.
• DIY bath epsom salt bags using aromas and dried flowers.
• Snacks, chips, drinks, freebies and more.

Additional wellness activities and campus resources will also be available throughout the day.

Graduating student Paloma Earnheart knows caring for yourself isn’t always pretty or glamorous. She is a member of the Pop-Up Team in Student Activities, and is knowledgeable on the many resources available to students.

“There’s a spectrum to self-care,” Earnheart said.

She emphasized that it doesn’t always look like spa days or relaxing massages. It can be therapy or doctors appointments, too.

Self care is an important aspect of many students’ lives. What began as an idea from Nicole Ortega has now evolved into a campus tradition that gives students the time to focus on their own wellness.

Organizers hope this year’s expanded event will not only draw more students in, but also encourage long-term habits of self-care beyond the event itself.

“Sometimes you can’t rely on other people to make you happy,” Ashley Jost, Supervisor of Outreach, Scholarships and Communication, advised. “So you have to take care of yourself.”

Whether through small acts, creativity, relaxation or simply taking a step back from academic pressure, Self Care Day aims to remind students that taking care of yourself is not optional–it’s fundamental.

As finals approach, Self Care Day may be exactly what students need most.