Life in massage school is full of possibilities-and pitfalls. The habits you develop now will have a major effect on the rest of your academic experience. These tips will help you succeed not only in school, but in your future career as well.
1. Make a list of all your life activities. Then go down the list and see what you must absolutely keep doing and what you may be able to put on hold until term break-or until you graduate.
2. Take excellent care of your body. Get into a routine of warming up your muscles and joints before you do massage.
3. Be prepared to play different roles. You will be expected to play the role of academic student, professional boundary holder, appointment setter, budding hands-on massage therapist, receiver of much massage and caring classmate. Go with the flow.
4. Drink lots of water. Massage increases circulation and the release of toxins stored in the tissue. Drinking pure water flushes these toxins out of the body. It is very important to keep your body functioning optimally, and keeping yourself properly hydrated plays a big role.
5. Get proper nutrition. You probably won't have the time to shop, cook and eat healthy gourmet meals while in school. Try your best to eat well so that you can keep up your stamina and your attention level in class. Try energy bars or other healthy snacks at break times and when you don't have time to prepare a meal.
6. Line up your support. Contact the student services department at your school to explore your options, to get connected with a student mentor, or for a referral list of therapists and other care providers. Your classmates and assistants are also there to support you. Let people know what's going on with you and what you need.
7. Stay on top of your school work. Keep up with studying the bones and muscles, and keep up with your hands-on courses. Attend study skills workshops, make flashcards, record classes or your notes and listen to them in your car.
8. Find a way to decompress after school. Giving and receiving so much massage means a lot of energy will be moving through you. Decompressing may mean taking walks after school, exercising, yoga, relaxing and listening to music. Find a way to release the energy.
9. Stay positive. You get back what you put in. You are undertaking an awesome challenge and it's not always easy to stay positive under these circumstances. When you find yourself feeling discouraged, stop and look at all the positive aspects of what you're doing.
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