“Tiny Habits”: Interviewing students on the wellness habits they swear by

While being a student may be a full-time job, wellness does not have to be; learn about how Barnard students are fitting it seamlessly into everyday life. 

Artwork by Natalie Shao

By Bryn Huber 

October 29, 2025

With classes ramping up and midterms around the corner, students tend to swap mental and physical well-being for Red Bull-sponsored all-nighters and days tucked away in libraries. However, wellness does not have to be a time-consuming process; in fact, some of these “tiny” habits fellow Barnard students swear by can help you find balance in your hectic college schedules. 

Physical activity 

Based on interviews, the consensus among Barnard students was that they prioritized moving their body. Some of these habits included hardcore fitness endeavors, such as biking. Leina Wyatt (BC ’28) explained that she bikes up to seven times a week, for about 30 minutes to an hour each time, by using citi bikes. She went on to share that when she bikes, “the wind blows away anxiety and anger that builds up from everyday life.” 

As you have probably seen while walking down Broadway, biking is an extremely popular mode of transportation in New York City. The Better Health Channel said it best, stating that biking is, “[t]ime-efficient – as a mode of transport, cycling replaces sedentary (sitting) time spent driving motor vehicles or using trams, trains or buses with healthy exercise.” Thus, biking is a quick, easy, and fun way to not only get from place to place in the city but also to relieve some stress.

Yet another way to get the body moving was suggested by Shivani Verma (BC ’28), who swears by going on runs. Both biking and running are more high-intensity ways to get physical wellness in your day-to-day. Not a fitness fanatic? No worries — there are low-impact wellness habits you could adopt as well! 

For starters — this habit comes from yours truly — going on a walk every day is a great habit to get into, especially for students constantly glued to lecture hall or library seats. Zane Pervez (BC ’28) supported this notion, as she likes to “wake up and go on early morning walks to feel productive.” If you are not an early riser like me, the morning part is optional. However, Zane said that on these walks, she can talk herself through her day, reducing her anxiety and simply aiding her health. 

Hygiene tips 

If physical fitness is not your thing, do not worry; wellness finds its way into activities you would never think of, as through hygiene. Zoe Lee (BC ’28) offered some quick suggestions, including  flossing and drinking “lots of water” on a daily basis. Wellness can even sneak its way into your morning and nighttime skincare routines. Ella Levy (BC ’28) finds that a skincare routine “is the part of my day where I am literally taking care of myself. It makes me feel confident and appreciative. I love feeling clean and glowy while also knowing I am doing my future self some good.”

Mental relievers 

For those who prioritize their mental health, Barnard students have provided many tips and tricks to improve mental well-being. For instance, journaling or reading a little bit every day — as suggested by Lee and Verma — would help you unwind after a long day at school. Journaling, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center, helps you “prioritize problems, fears, and concerns” by “tracking any symptoms day-to-day.” Journaling also provides “an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts and behaviors.” 

If you read and write all day for school and want to shake it up a bit, there are other healthy habits you can adopt; you can try soaking up the sun while it is still warm out, not going on your phone first thing in the morning, or putting your phone on Night Shift mode at night to give your eyes a break — all tips that Lee incorporates into her daily routine. If you are like me and the first thing you do is go on your phone in the morning, you might be interested to learn that the benefits of adjusting to Lee’s tiny wellness habit were investigated by Fielding Graduate University. They found that “it’s easy to get distracted by something negative that impacts our mood. Anger, frustration, and envy can cast a negative halo effect over the start of our day, undermining our self-confidence and making us more irritable, impatient, or depressed.” 

Now, these are just a handful of suggestions from fellow Barnard students on what has helped their personal wellness. Overall, prioritizing personal well-being is essential not only because of the physical health benefits that accompany working out, but it helps ground your mind and body in a world where we are often preoccupied with what everyone else is doing or thinking. Moreover, by implementing new wellness strategies — big or small — in everyday life, you can work towards building positive habits that can help you in all areas of your life, such as improving self-discipline and self-esteem. Hence, whether it is taking a morning stroll through Morningside Park instead of a run, or doing your skincare routine after a long night in Butler, small changes in everyday habits can go a long way for improving your mental, physical, and emotional health.