Between the tight corners of residence hall rooms and the constant rhythm of campus life, self-care can feel like something that takes effort Texas Tech students don’t always have.
To tackle this, dorm life has forced students to find creative alternatives in the way they take care of themselves — both physically and mentally — whether it’s going to the gym, practicing skin care or simply taking time to draw.
Habeeba Giwa, a first-year business management major from Frisco, said the shift in her self-care routine began with losing access to the kitchen space she once depended on.
“I think for me, the biggest struggle is just the space here,” she said. “I’m just used to having my own space back at home like my room and the kitchen. I actually have to go to my friend’s apartment or my friend’s house to cook, which is very inconvenient, but there’s not necessarily a way I can overcome it. I just found a solution.”
Despite the obstacles, Giwa said she finds steadiness in physical self-care and keeps a routine that makes her feel grounded during her week.
Freshman kinesiology major from Belton, Emily Hunter, applies a face mask inside her dorm room at Talkington Hall Dec. 1, 2025.
Makayla Perez
“I prioritize working out. I go to the gym at the (Robert H. Ewalt Student Recreation Center) every single day except the weekends,” she said. “The gym is like my favorite thing. That’s all I do really. I love looking cute at the gym, and I feel like if I look good, I feel good, then I can lift good.”
While physical routines help some students, others lean into the mental and emotional side of self-care. Sophia Gonzalez, a first-year interior design major from El Paso, said art helps her reset.
“I like drawing a lot, so I’ll put some music or a movie on for white sound, and then I just draw whatever I feel like,” Gonzalez said, “and it just helps me re-center myself, and I think that’s a form of self-care for sure.”
For Gonzalez, being consistent in taking care of her mental and physical health has been one of the biggest challenges while in college.
“At first, it was very difficult to be consistent with my self-care, and sometimes I’m still not as consistent as I want to be,” she said. “But I think it’s just important to cater to what you need to get done instead of doing it all the time.”
Gonzalez focuses on what her body needs in the moment rather than trying to do everything at once, mirroring her mindset that inconsistency can be OK.
Freshman kinesiology major from Belton, Emily Hunter, dips her hand in a skincare product to apply to her face inside her dorm room at Talkington Hall Dec. 1, 2025.
Makayla Perez
“Some advice I have is that you don’t have to be consistent with it,” she said. “If you feel stressed out, take the time to do what you need to not stress out and to feel like yourself. Whether it’s listening to music, reading a book or drawing, do whatever you need to just feel relaxed.”
Yet, mental self-care looks different for Emily Hunter, a first-year kinesiology major from Belton, who relies on quiet moments to intentionally pour into herself.
“I think it’s important to have alone time while also taking care of yourself, like setting aside time to make sure that I’m OK, too,” she said. “Figure out what your goal is, and then go from there ‘cause it differs depending on the person and what their priorities are.”
Giwa said struggles at university are real, but so are the solutions she builds for herself. She said the most important part of building a routine is understanding what she needs and acting on that.
“Try different things until you find something that you’re most comfortable with,” Giwa said. “Discipline is very important, and sometimes you might not want to do something, but that’s just even more reason for you to be committed to it.”