For physical health, I liked to stretch before the work day to prep my body for hours of excavation. I also made sure to bring the vitamins that made me feel best as well as electrolytes to help keep me hydrated in the hot sun. Speaking of hydration, water is the most important thing for physical health. I brought a 64 oz water bottle and made sure to consistently drink from it throughout the day. Also, please don’t be afraid to take a break during the day. Listen to your body and don’t be ashamed in prioritizing yourself and sitting for a couple of minutes. It helps no one if you overexert yourself or ignore an injury.

For mental health I employed a couple of tactics. Most field schools require you to keep a field journal to document what you did during the day to be evaluated at the end of your program. I kept a second personal journal that I wrote in throughout the day as well. This helps to get out random anxiety, frustrations, worries, and anything else that might keep you from staying present. It was also a nice way to personally reflect after a long day or week. I also made sure to keep a routine, like I mentioned earlier, one outside of the mandatory routine of the field school schedule. I liked to wake up a bit early to drink coffee, listen to music, or watch something on my computer. Those quiet moments before everyone else woke up gave me time to mentally prepare for the day. After the workday, before dinner, I would freshen up, listen to music, write in my journal, or lounge outside with my cohort. After dinner I would like to organize myself for the next day and again watch something on my computer.

But, throughout the entire time what I found to be so helpful was keeping in touch with people back home. Your friends and family will be excited to see the work that you’re doing and I really loved sending pics to my parents of random excavation or field trip adventures. Additionally, as a graduate student, I had to have meetings with advisors in relation to my proposed thesis work. I found these meetings (although sometimes in the middle of the night because of time differences) to be almost therapeutic. If you have a teacher or advisor that you can check in with during your time, they may be able to give you advice, especially if you’re having a rough go of things.

A lot of these suggestions are things I would do at home. If you can build a similar routine at your field school that includes things you do in your daily life at, it’ll help you feel more normal. You’ll be in an environment where most days you don’t choose when you wake up, when you eat or what you’re eating, and you are made to work or travel as told. But, at home, if you walk every morning, eat a certain snack every afternoon, drink a certain tea every night, then try to find time to do those things at your field school. It’ll remind you of home and give you a sense of agency as well. Overall, my advice is to find multiple ways to bring home with you and be sure you have some outlet for your emotions. That way, you can allow yourself to be as present as possible and most of all, have fun!