With the end of the semester looming over students and stress building as the days get colder, the Student Health Center reminded the LSU community to take care of themselves with its annual Self-Care Fair on Wednesday.

Even before it started, a line of students was waiting to experience the fair outside the Library’s Room 109. When they first walked into the event, students were greeted with a table of resources from the Health Center and pins with phrases like, “Self-care club,” “Keep going, keep growing” and “Fall into self-care.” Students received reusable LSU tumblers, stickers, mindfulness resources and more from the Health Center. 

Throughout the room, there were different activities for students to learn from and relax with. One table had a gratitude board that said “You are enough” in large calligraphy. According to the information provided by the Health Center, “Practicing gratitude and sharing positivity boosts mood, reduces stress and builds resilience.” Throughout the event, students wrote down things that they are grateful for on the board. 

Roommates Madison Nguyen, a construction management freshman, and Olivia Colesman, a software engineering freshman, attended the event together.

“I think it’s another way to get active and kind of take a break from studying,” Colesman said of the fair, “especially with finals coming up.”

The students said their original reason for coming was to get the LSU reusable cups the Health Center was handing out, but they also used this as a bonding moment. Nguyen and Colesman talked about what they do as a form of self-care, which included eating meals and lounging in bed. Both girls also go to the gym and talk through their day together to process and take care of themselves. 

The rest of the activities at the fair were centered around painting. Some students painted canvases, others painted pumpkins and plastic designs. The tables had information about emotional self-care, which the Health Center’s information said is “taking intentional actions to understand and manage your emotions in a healthy way.” The benefits are improved stress management, reduced anxiety and a boosted mood. 

Students ate snacks while they learned about mindful eating, which is the practice of being aware of oneself and surroundings while consuming a meal. Smoothie King and the dining halls gave out food and drinks to students as they moved about the fair. 

Carli DiLorenzo, the wellness coordinator for the Student Health Center, watched as students enjoyed the fair. She emphasized how impactful self-care can be, urging students to take care of themselves.

“You have to take time for self-care, or your body will make time,” DiLorenzo explained. “It’s also important to know that self-care can be integrated through life. It can be in small doses; it doesn’t have to take multiple hours.”

DiLorenzo said she was happy with the student turnout at the fair. Those who attended were able to take home resources and learn about self-care, implementing the practice in their days in small but impactful ways as the semester becomes busy again.

“The most important thing for students to know is that self-care is not selfish,” DiLorenzo said. “It is really important to do; if not, you will burn out.”