Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

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October 4, 2022
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“If you don’t take care of yourself, who’s gonna take care of you?”

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Carly Phoon

Trigger warning: mental illness.

Editor's note: This column was submitted to the Texan by a member of the UT community.

In a society that values efficiency and accomplishments, how often are we able to pause and ask ourselves, “How are we actually doing?” This pandemic makes things a lot harder because we are forced to accept reality as is and to adjust to this new normal. A lot of people’s mental health has taken a toll, mine included. 


As someone that struggles with preexisting mental health conditions, things just got even more challenging following the onset of the pandemic. The routines that I had in Austin were gone, having to move back home (readjusting the boundaries and freedom that I was used to having), leaving my friends, transitioning to online classes and much more. These changes were terrifying. With the pandemic, seeing friends is a lot harder and everyone has a different comfort level, so it takes a lot more adjusting. The first step of getting help is to acknowledge what you’re experiencing. It was challenging having to consciously think about how I feel in therapy, but it has given me a safe space to process emotions. I learned how to accept things and situations as is instead of pushing them away. It was really hard for the first couple of months, but with the help of therapy I was able to reestablish my routines, state my needs and learn different coping strategies on managing my symptoms. 

As full-time college students, it’s hard to carve out time for ourselves, but think about it this way: If you don’t take care of yourself, who’s gonna take care of you? Things are way more challenging now — have more compassion and patience toward yourself. 

One step at a time, one day at a time.

UT’s Counseling and Mental Health Center offers a variety of resources, includings individual counseling and group workshops, to help those struggling with their mental health.

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“If you don’t take care of yourself, who’s gonna take care of you?”