Preserving the Body, Preserving the Culture

PRESERVING THE BODY, PRESERVING THE CULTURE with Kayla Glemaud

Do you have any tips, tricks or practices you use to avoid stress, especially as a senior?

What does self care mean to you?

"I would say really focus on being present. It's something that's been a really big game changer for me. I think I spent a lot of last semester so worried about what's going to come next. It felt like everyone and their mothers were asking, what are you doing post graduation? What are you doing post grad? And I'm like, I don't know! All of the uncertainty would really, really stress me out. Like do I have to move back home? All these different things. Not everyone has it figured out, and that's okay. Just embrace the uncertainty because we're still in a pandemic, "I would say self care means I guess like, like being uncertain. So, I would say lean into that uncerhonoring your needs, and moment to moment tainty instead of being so afraid of it. Be in the moment, basis and kind of standing in your truth. I think a because this is kind of the last time I'll be with this lot of times, self care is not like the things that you group of people in this space again. I don't do. Its not throwing out a mask and like doing your want to miss out on this moment benails or unwinding. That can be included in self care, cause I'm worried about the but self care is like, not going out to drink tonight future." in like, and not gonna forcing myself to rally and go super hard. It's like if I don't feel it, I'm not going to go. But again, listening to your body, listening to your state of being, Can you describe your ideal morning? going with it and kind of trusting that intuition." " I definitely got into a really good routine when I was in quarantine. I'm very much a morning person, so I'd be up around like, seven, seven-thirty. I would make myself either like matcha latte or coffee, and then listen to a podcast. I really like [the podcasts] 10% Happier and The Minimalist--those are like my go tos. I would meditate and do yoga. It was a very busy morning, but it was just a very soothing way to kind of start my mornings. And I also got to a point where I didn't need an alarm, so that was great. Then I would not necessarily do yoga, but just like stretch a little bit. Then, I'd see my parents and have breakfast."

As an athlete, how do you balance tending to your body with the stress of a hamilton curriculum?

"I had to figure out when was the best time for me to work out and like versus when to use my brain. I realized I'm a morning person. My brain only works until probably like 3pm. Then that's kind of where it cuts off, as soon as it starts kind of getting dark. So I capitalize on that time, and I front load my days just to make sure I can get all my work done in the day. I will do most of my workouts or practices like in the evenings. So figuring out your timing--and it's so corny because Hamilton's modDo you have any beauty tips or tricks that keep you glowing? els like "Know thyself," like yeah! Listen to your body, and actually really be in tune with yourself. Just honor your needs." "In my moisturizer I add drops of sweet almond oil. I swear by it. It's my bread and butter. I don't really do face masks. I don't really wash my face every day. Sometimes you don't need to, I will just add a little bit of waHow ter. Harsh cleansers and toners and things did you deal with like that are just gonna strip your skin. isolation during the pandemic? So Sunday, literally its just sparkling water then my moisturizer."I think I got really, really comfortable being alone. I feel like that can't be the same for a lot of people. But, I'm kind of like an introvert. I just really took the time to reflect and observe the habits I have that I kind of don't like or self sabotaging tendencies. I really took the time to address those, and really be com- Are fortable being with myself, because I think there's so there any messages many opportunities, especially when you're in college, you have for Culture readers just to like have distractions all the time, whether about the importance of self care during it's social media, or just being with your friends the pandemic? all the time, schoolwork and all these other obligations. All of those were gone, so "It's okay to look at other people's routines and try to I got comfortable being with adopt that for yourself. But at the end of the day, you myself." have to mold it to your own. There are certain things to kind of pick up. You don't need to copy someone else's routine, or habits, like step for step. That will also kind of drive a crazy for doing everything that everyone supposed to be doing--that could also make you unhappy. So, find things you can pick and choose but find things that really work for you." 32