Self-Care at University

AD: Gifted products from Canesten.

Self-care is important, especially when you start university, where it can be hard to look after yourself, eat the right foods and get enough sleep, combined with sharing a living space with other students.

Fresher’s flu is a real thing!

I’m a third year, and I’ve had fresher’s flu for the past week. It hasn’t been pleasant, but it’s given me an excuse for plenty of self-care.

It was perfect timing that Canesten asked me to write a blog post about taking care of yourself at university, and sent me a box of lovely, thoughtful self-care items, as well as a selection of their Canesfresh products.

Having spent the last week or so mostly in bed or in the bath, I’ve gotten plenty of use out of everything in the box, and I’m eager to share my favourite (and sometimes indulgent) ways of self-care while at uni.

The first year of university is typically quite manic, with lots of drinking events, the excitement of freedom, and a lack of sleep and poor nutrition. I didn’t take very good care of myself in my first year, and I feel like I’m only really getting in the swing of things now I’m in my third year.

Having a bath helps me so much, it’s lovely to get in and relax after a day of lectures – I’m just not a shower person to be honest! It’s important to take care of your body, and I’ve been finding the Canesfresh intimate range really great (and I have quite sensitive skin, especially after a bikini wax).

The Feminine Soothing Wash Gel is probably my favourite from the range, it provides 12-hour comfort, and has ingredients like glycine, which have calming, soothing properties and help with irritation. It doesn’t contain any soap, preservatives or colourants, which is fab.

I was also sent the Gentle Refreshing Mousse, an everyday wash product, containing calming lotus extract and vitamin b5. It helps to maintain a healthy balance of natural pH, making it a great product to use every day in the shower. These products have all been tested dermatologically and by gynaecologists, so I definitely feel comfortable using them!

The Canesfresh Feminine Wipes come in a little handbag size – perfect for on-the-go use. These provide gentle cleansing and freshness, again with lotus extract and provitamin b5, and I like to keep them in my bag, in case I’m surprised by my period or something! These wipes are biodegradable, which is great, and they’re free from alcohol.

I’m very impressed by the Canesfresh Feminine range, I’ll definitely be picking up more of their products when I’ve finished these.

Don’t forget that Canesten also has treatments for intimate health issues like cystitis, thrush, dryness etc. In fact, they’re the number 1 UK intimate health brand!

I love to drink tea.

In fact, I probably drink far too much tea… but this pug coffee cup is perfect for taking tea to university, and it’s so damn cute. It even has adorable little ears on the lid! It’s double-walled, so it keeps your drink hot for ages, whether you prefer tea, coffee or a cheeky hot chocolate.

For those times you’re feeling a bit healthier, a large water bottle with a section for fruit infusion is great.

I’ve been wanting one of these for ages, so I was really excited when I saw that Canesten included one in the box they sent me!

It’s perfect to keep on the desk and sip while studying, and so good for your metabolism.

I’ve also been using it while doing yoga at the weekends, which is another way that I relax and look after my body. You can get a Fruit Infuser Water Bottle like mine on Amazon.

One of my favourite ways to feel less anxious and relaxed is to read.

I read so many books, both as physical copies and on my kindle. I can lose myself for hours in a good fiction book, and I just feel like reading is good for your mind.

At the moment I’m reading The Girl on the Train (finally), and I’m loving it.

Canesten sent me a little book called How To Relax by Thich Nhat Hanh, which is so lovely and helpful – I definitely recommend picking it up.

As a third-year Classics student, I feel like I spend most of my life reading Ancient texts and historians, but I make sure to read for enjoyment in my free time, and on the tube on the way to lectures.

As you can see from the picture above, Canesten also sent me an awesome 5 ingredient cookbook, which is perfect for students. A great cookbook is one of the top must-haves for students!

I have several cookbooks, but struggle with cooking from scratch (except pasta of course), because ingredients can be so expensive. However, every single recipe in this book only uses 5 ingredients.

I’ve already bookmarked a few of the recipes I want to try, particularly those from the dessert section. Baking is such a relaxing self-care activity!

Finally, writing your thoughts down can be very therapeutic.

I kept a diary in my first year of university, which mostly evolved into song lyrics. I know some people who keep food diaries, mental health diaries, as well as general ‘free writing’ journals.

This journal from Peter Pauper Press is absolutely beautiful, with lovely gold embellishment, and a magnetic opening. The quote on the front ‘Believe in Yourself’ is so inviting, I definitely recommend getting a pretty journal to write in.

Anyway, I’m off to make myself a cup of tea now, and settle down in my fluffy pyjamas to read a book about Classical Greek Art. I hope you’re having a lovely day!

What are your favourite self-care methods?

Make sure to check out Canesten’s Canesfresh range for great intimate care products.