Something that became incredibly apparent to me during 1L was the importance of self-care. Being a 1L is tough, but staying happy and healthy during school is possible! In fact, it can be one of the best years of your life, especially if you embrace these few easy tips about how to make self-care a priority during 1L:
Make it a habit
Start integrating healthy habits into your routine now and come September they’ll feel as natural as brushing your teeth! Think of things that make you feel happy, healthy and in control, and schedule them into your calendar. Some examples of my own: meditating for 10 minutes in the morning, calling my grandparents every Wednesday, packing healthy snacks for the week on Sunday night. These “positive rituals” – things I do on a daily basis to take care of myself – have been essential not only to my overall wellbeing but to my academic success.
Know yourself
“People seeking greater well-being would be well advised to focus on the pursuit of (a) goals involving growth, connection, and contribution rather than goals involving money, beauty and popularity and (b) goals that are interesting and personally important to them rather than goals they feel pressured to pursue.”
I recently came across this quote from positive psychologist Kennon Sheldon and it rang so true because for me, the most difficult part of 1L was staying true to myself. Allow yourself to thrive by thinking about your strengths and weaknesses and then actively creating your ideal environment, regardless of what everyone else is doing. A wealth of opportunities will become available to you at Allard and if you’re willing to carve your own path, your law school experience will be that much richer.
Keep it in perspective
Learn to take a step back and acknowledge when taking a bubble bath, skyping your best friend, or cuddling your dog will be more worthwhile than spending 20 more minutes staring blankly at your Contracts book. Perfect legal analysis is worth little if you catch the flu during exam week or if you are so stressed that, despite all of your hard work and preparation, you draw a blank right when it matters. Remember that you are a complex person and honour that by taking care of your whole self. It might be difficult to see the direct correlation between wellness and academic success, but I promise you that come exam season being emotionally stable is every bit as important as having done your homework.
Reach Out
The community you’re about to enter is one that cares for one another; everyone goes through tough times, but we don’t have to go through them alone. During O-Week you will be matched with upper-year peer mentors who will be a great source of moral support in times of stress. The Assistant Dean, Students Kaila Mikkelsson is another fantastic source of support and is available to meet with students experiencing physical or mental health challenges. In addition, counselling services are available just across the street at Brock Hall (http://students.ubc.ca/livewell/services/counselling-services) . And if you’re looking to incorporate wellness into your daily schedule, the UBC Yoga Club (https://ubcyogaclub.com/) hosts classes every 
weekday. They are very affordable ($2!) and a great way to step outside of the law school and catch a breath in the middle of a stressful day.
As incoming 1Ls, I hope that you will approach the year with a mind toward caring for yourselves and your peers, and know that if you are ever in need of support it is available to you here at Allard. Check out the health & wellness website (http://www.allard.ubc.ca/health-wellness-allard-school-law) for more resources, or send me an email at mailto:rochellekelava@gmail.comand I’d be happy to point you in the right direction!
