In my experience, second semester is always a lot worse than the first.
First of all, it’s freezing out, it gets dark super early and you have to get back into the swing of things after having a glorious month off from responsibilities. In order to beat the winter blues, I try to find ways to unwind and relax.
Here are five of my favorite (and cheap) ways to make sure that I can treat myself at least a few times a week.
1. Face Masks
Face masks are a super inexpensive way to feel like you are getting a facial when you can’t afford the real thing. Most masks run for under $6 and come with a variety of treatment options. You can just pop one on, turn on a nice relaxing Spotify playlist and chill until you need to remove it or wash it off. Plus, who doesn’t want fresh, glowing and clear skin?
2. Aromatherapy
This year for Christmas, I received an aromatherapy diffuser and it is a game changer. You can find these diffusers for around $15 to $20 on Amazon or at stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond or Target, as well as various scents that you can use with it. These scents can help with things such as sleep, headaches and productivity. When I’m feeling extra stressed out, I will put on my diffuser, turn on my Himalayan salt lamp and read.
3. Day Trips
Sometimes, you just need to get away from campus and clear your head, and day trips are the way to do it. Grab a few friends and head off campus for the day to just get away from all of your lingering responsibilities and clear your head. You can go for a picnic in a local park, spend the day at the beach or go window shopping around a small town or the mall. You can even just drive for a while and explore wherever you end up; the opportunities are endless.
4. Good Food
Uber Eats is the MVP of my college experience. You can order in from dozens of restaurants in your town with all different kinds of cuisines and price ranges. Every once in a while, I give myself a break from stressing about cooking and order a good, fancy meal that I can enjoy from the comfort of my couch during a "Parks and Rec" marathon.
5. Tea
I am absolutely obsessed with tea. There are so many health benefits from having a cup of tea every day and they make teas to help you with everything from PMS to weight loss to falling asleep. You can find hundreds of options at your local grocery store, so you can always try out new and exciting flavors. Bonus: who doesn’t love collecting cute and funny mugs?
