Editorials

Love yourself

Self Love
Graphic by Amanda Bollig.

We have been living the quarantine life for almost a year now. We haven’t been able to go to many on-campus events that Kirkwood would host in a non-COVID world. Those events are when many new students meet new friends and significant others. Those significant others are who we would normally spend Valentine’s Day with or go on a blind date with to start a new relationship or just celebrate Valentine’s Day with our best friends. This year however is very different. 

Even though the governor of Iowa, Kim Reynolds, is trending as #COVIDKim for prematurely lifting COVID-19 restrictions, many of us are uncertain how to spend the day. Should we throw caution to the wind? Or should we continue to do what we have done for the last 11 months? Should we self-isolate, go to work and go to school?  

I think we would should spend February 14th taking care of ourselves.  I think it would be a good time to check our mindsets and reset ourselves. If we aren’t taking care of ourselves everything else will suffer. If we aren’t sleeping well because we are working 60-hour weeks just because over-time is offered, for one it’s not really safe for you to drive because you are at a greater risk of falling asleep at the wheel, but your mental and physical health suffer. Your heart can suffer long lasting effects from not sleeping. 

I think that Valentines’ Day would be a good day to spend time taking care of yourself. Do a facemask while watching a movie, paint your nails, fix your favorite meal. Take your dog for a car ride, because let’s face it’s too cold for a walk. If you have a roommate play some video games or watch a movie together. Do something mindless and enjoyable, read a book that you have been putting off.  

I think it can be hard to love yourself, especially right now. So it is even more important to take care of yourselves.   

Image courtesy of Amanda Bollig

Categories: Editorials, Opinion