Self Care

"You don't need to run faster to matter, you need to stay whole to last."

In the fast-moving corridors of IIT Kanpur, life often feels like a constant race, chasing deadlines, expectations piling up, and comparisons quietly creeping in. Somewhere between lectures, labs, and late-night study sessions, we start believing that slowing down means falling behind. As we try to grip harder on excellence, mental peace starts slipping from the fingertips. In this rush, self-care is often misunderstood, dismissed, or pushed to the bottom of our priority list.

When we hear the term "self-care," we usually imagine something fancy or indulgent, face masks, vacations, or taking a complete break from responsibilities. But self-care is much more subtle and deeply personal. It shows up in everyday choices: choosing rest over burnout, nourishment over skipping meals, and reaching out for help instead of silently struggling.

Self-care isn't about escaping reality, it's about sustaining yourself within it.

What is self-care?

Although skipping meals, overuse of social media and overexerting might seem right due to the peer-pressure but the actual picture is something else. To keep up with the pace of IITK we keep sacrificing small elements of our mental peace which leads to the degradation of mental health.

We must realise that taking care of our own mental health is not lagging behind the competition but paying attention to our own emotional and mental needs. In hindsight we forget that it should be us who should control our pace and not the external environment. Taking out personal time for yourself, giving yourself proper rest, doing your favourite activities, spending time with your friends, talking to your family and loved ones and to be able to pause for a moment to sense the motion of things happening around you – these are the things that add to our positive mental health.

Now you might think, who does such lame things in the era of Gen Z, right? - but keep in mind, you do not need to justify anything that you do for your own mental peace to others. "Only a person with flowers in their heart can fill the surroundings with fragrance." Hence, taking care of yourself is the reward that you should give to yourself while you keep up with the pace outside.

How can I practice self-care?

• Talk things out: sharing things with trusted friends, family or loved ones makes us feel like at home and emotionally supported
• Set small and achievable academic goals: small wins add up to a big one!
• Stay physically active: play your favourite sport, lift some weights or just go out on a walk in the campus
• Recreational activities: take out time for the crafty, cultural, technical or any creative activities
• Make sleep a priority: try taking proper rest, especially on holidays
• Take proper nourishment: celebrate healthy food
• Reflect regularly: spend some time alone with yourself reflecting on your emotions and what cause them

At the end, self-care is not a checklist or a trend but a relationship that you build with yourself. It's a small promise to be observant towards yourself and listening to your needs. In a place like IITK where everyone gets drowned in the tsunami of peer pressure, the courageous thing to do is to take care of yourself and surf at your own pace.

Stop trying too hard to prove yourself. Take out time for yourself, do that favourite activity of yours, eat that meal, take a break without guilt. Because in the long run, the most important person you need to show up for is yourself.

Building Healthy Self-Esteem

At IITK, it's easy to measure yourself through grades, achievements, and comparisons.

Self-esteem is about learning to see your worth beyond numbers—and being kinder to yourself along the way.

You see someone else succeed and wonder, "Why not me?" Self-esteem grows when comparison takes a back seat.

Mindfulness (for daily life)

Ever notice how your mind is always somewhere else—past mistakes, future worries, or endless "what ifs"?

Mindfulness is about gently bringing your attention back to the present, without judgement.

Your body is in the classroom. Your mind is five deadlines ahead. Mindfulness brings you back—gently.

Understanding & Working Through Emotions

Sometimes emotions don't come with clear labels.

You just feel off, overwhelmed, numb, or irritated. Learning to sit with emotions instead of pushing them away can make them easier to handle.

You say "I'm fine." But you're not sure what you're feeling either. That's more common than you think.

Grounding Techniques (for overwhelm)

When everything feels too much—your thoughts racing, your body tense—grounding techniques help you come back to the here and now, one moment at a time.

Your heart races. Thoughts pile up. Grounding helps your body realise—it's safe right now.

Relaxation Techniques (quick + long-term)

Rest is not a reward for finishing everything.

Relaxation techniques help your mind and body slow down, even when life doesn't.

Rest feels unproductive—until you realise burnout costs more.

"Only a person with flowers in their heart can fill the surroundings with fragrance."