Your mom is no longer hovering over you at every turn, your teachers spend fifty minutes instead of six hours a day with you and your friends can easily be fooled.

People around you at college can’t always necessarily tell whether you’re taking care of yourself or not.

But you know. A person can always tell the difference in herself when she is being mindful of her own needs and when she is not.

People don’t often intentionally mistreat or neglect themselves. The problem is, self-care often becomes a task far down on our never-ending to-do lists instead of being a habit or a priority.

It’s easy to get caught up in studying hard for the ideal grade, in attempting to please every single friend you have on campus, in being involved in extracurriculars, in participating in varsity or intramural sports…the list could go on.

All of these things are vital to the storied “college experience.” They are necessary and they are good. Still, despite all going on around you, you must remember to take care of you.

Me-time is sacred. It’s necessary. And it’s all too often overlooked.

Self-care, though “self” appears in the term, is not selfish. In fact, it’s the furthest thing from it. Time with yourself allows you to identify your own needs and deficiencies. I like to think of my personal time as filling myself up so I can pour into others. We can’t pour from an empty vessel.

Taking care of yourself isn’t coddling yourself. It’s investing in a valuable entity.

Taking an hour or even a few minutes to yourself every day is the least you can do to take care of your brain, your body and your spirit.

Just a few everyday ways to take care of you: Remember that it’s okay to say no when you need to. Drink plenty of water and get as much rest as you can. Call someone who refreshes your soul, even from afar. Read a great book that challenges your imagination. Take a walk or run while listening to your favorite playlist. Write a journal entry or a blog post to clear your mind and communicate your thoughts. Snuggle up in your favorite blanket and binge-watch Netflix for an hour or two. Don’t go to the party unless you truly want to.

As Zac Brown sings, “Quiet your mind; take it all in; enjoy the ride.”

Your body, mind and soul will thank you for it.