Tiaki I Ā Koe Anō – Looking After Yourself This Study Period

Nā Taipari Taua (Muriwhenua, Ngāpuhi)

It’s that time of year—exams are looming, lecturers are breathing down your neck, your to-do list is starting to look like a medieval scroll. E hoa, don’t forget to look after yourself! Here are some tips to keep yourself alive this study period according to Te Whare Tapa Whā—a Māori health model developed by Sir Mason Durie.

He nui ngā mahi ā-kura kia tutuki i ēnei wā. Nā tēnei āhua, kāore e kore kua pokea koe e ēnei mahi. Kaua koe e wareware kia tiaki i a koe anō. Nei rā he kupu āwhina, hei tā te Whare Tapa Whā, hei hāpai i ā koe i tēnei wā pukumahi.

Taha Tinana - Physical Health

• Tama tū tama ora, tama noho tama mate! He nui ō mahi, kāore e kore kua roa tō noho ki tō tēpu mahi ai—kia kaha tonu te nekeneke i tō tinana. Hīkoi, torotoro, hākinakina. He pai mō te tinana, he pai mō te oranga.

• Staying active is so important, even though it’s so easy to get comfy and stay inside all day. I totally get it, sometimes it's tempting to just lock yourself in your room or in the library, but a quick walk or a few stretches can be a real rongoā for your energy and mood. Trust, a little movement goes a long way, and you'll feel so much better afterward!

• Kaingia i ngā kai hauora kia pakari ai tō tinana, ā, nā konā ka pakari te whakaoti mahi. Kia kaha te kai hauora, inarā ko ngā pēri, ngā nati, ngā hēki, te ika hoki – ērā momo kai.

• Try to eat well and keep your meals regular to stay fueled throughout the day. Having consistent meals helps keep your energy levels steady, so you’re not crashing mid-afternoon. Don’t forget to snack in between either! Easy things like fruit, yogurt, nuts, or even a muesli bar are perfect to keep you going. Little healthy snacks can actually help maintain your focus and mood, so you’re slaying all day long.

Taha Wairua - Spiritual Wellbeing

• He mea nui te karakia kia tutuki pai ai ngā mahi. Kāore he mea tū atu i te karakia kia whakawātea ai te ara kia aro tika koe ki āu mahi. Ākina te mauri o ō tūpuna, o ō atua, aha raini. He karakia kei te ipurangi mēnā horekau he karakia āu.

• Karakia can be such a game changer for locking in. There’s nothing like a good karakia to clear your mind and your path forward so that you can focus clearly on the tasks that lie ahead. Manifest that mauri from your tūpuna, your atua, whatever source you like. If you don’t have any karakia you like there are some you can find online.

• He hoa haere ki te karakia, ko te whakangā. He mea pai kia whakarauora i tō mauri, kia hohou te rongo i ēnei wā kūnakunaku. Whai wāhi ki te taiao, whakarongo ki ō tino waiata, hā ki roto, hā ki waho, e hoa.

• Similarly to karakia, meditation can replenish your mauri and help you find peace in such a chaotic time. Spend time outside, listen to the birds, listen to some waiata, and try some breathing exercises.

Taha Hinengaro - Mental Health

• He mea nui te whakatā mō te hinengaro. He māmā noa te taka ki te nono pukumahi mo te wā roa, heoi, ka hua ake te hēmanawatanga i te kaha pēhi i ā koe anō. Kia kaha tō whakatā, ahakoa te roa. Ina pēnei ai, ka whakatā, ā, ka whakakaha i te hinengaro. He nui ngā momo whakatā, he hīkoi, he rapu kai, he tākaro ki te wāea pea hoki.

• Taking breaks and resting while studying is super important for your mental health. It’s easy to get caught up in locking in for ages, but pushing yourself non-stop can lead to burnout and stress. Taking a step back, even for just a few minutes, gives your brain a chance to reset and recharge. You could grab a snack, stretch, go for a short walk, or just scroll for a bit, small breaks can actually help you focus better when you get back to it.

• Ko tō tino hoa i ā koe e whakaoti mahi ana ko ngā wātaka, ko ngā rārangi mahi, ko te mahere i ō haepapa. Mā te āta wāwāhi i ō haepapa, ka ngāwari ake te mārama i ngā mahi me mahia, ā, ko te āhua hoki nei ka nui ake ngā mahi ka tutuki i te mea he rārangi tāu o ngā mahi kua oti, nā, nau mai te haumāuiui.

• Plan your study! Make your to do lists, update your schedule, and most importantly, break everything down. It’s like chewing your workload, breaking it up into smaller pieces to make it more digestible. Breaking things down into lists makes it so much easier to understand, and you feel accomplished when you have a tangible list of tasks you’ve completed. 

Taha Whānau - Social Wellbeing

• Kia rapu hoa koe hei mahi tahi ki tō taha. E taea ana kōrua, koutou rānei kia wānanga i ngā mahi, kia whakaniko tahi i ā koutou mahi, ā, kia tautoko koutou i a koutou anō. Kia tika tō kōwhiri hoa mahi, kei toha kōrero paki nahe koutou.

• Body doubling can be super helpful for when you need someone to bounce ideas off, someone to check your work, and someone to hold you accountable. Make sure you choose the right study buddy, lest you spend all your time yapping!

• Kia kaha hoki tō whai wāhi ki ō hoa me tō whānau. Āe, he nui o āu mahi kia mahia, hoi, kia mau ki ō hoa, ki tō whānau kia tautoko i ā koe i ēnei wā kūnakunaku. Me mahara hoki, mātāmua he tangata koe – he mea nui te whanaungatanga kia ora ai te tangata.

• Hold on to your friends and family. Yes, there is so much work to do, however, you have your friends and whānau there to support you, so try not to isolate yourself. Remember, you are a human before you are a student—human connection is important for your wellbeing. He aha te mea nui o tēnei ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

The most important factor in every pillar of your whare tapa whā is sleep! Do yourself a favour and make sure you get enough of it, as a lack of sleep can really affect your focus, your attention span, learning, and generally every cognitive function. Kururaki! Good luck!