Anybody who's watched "Queer Eye" has thought about what the Fab Five would do for their own makeover.
Recently I was cleaning out my closet and a little Tan appeared in my head, criticizing all my old clothes. I definitely see some areas for improvement in my life, so I thought I'd share a few little ways to give yourself the queer eye treatment on a student budget. Obviously, we don't all have the means to completely transform in just a week, but little changes go a long way.
These are little things you can do for yourself maybe once a week until you've reached that full elevated status.
1. Step up your cooking.
Ramen is my best friend, but she's a bad influence. Every time I eat a quick and oily meal, it's gratifying for a second, but I always end up feeling guilty about it later. Get rid of the guilt by learning a healthy new recipe once in a while!
This can be as simple as going online and googling a recipe. There are a billion cooking blogs out there right now, so you can find meals from every creed or culture. Or, if you've got no clue what you want to make, go on Pinterest and find someone's recipe board. Scroll until something catches your eye, and that's what you're making tonight!
Even if you're living that dorm life and only have a microwave to work with, there are lots of ways to dress up microwave meals. Invest in some spices- thyme is great in pretty much any soup, onion or garlic powder does wonders in mac and cheese, and red pepper or oregano goes great with pizza. Don't shy away from creative microwave cooking! You can cook an egg in a microwave, and a poached or boiled egg can make ramen feel like a real meal.
Most importantly- get those veggies in there! Limited kitchen experience is no excuse to cut out vegetables. You can steam broccoli in the microwave just by putting it in a bowl with a little bit of water and putting a plate over top of it. Putting in just a little extra effort for yourself when it comes to food preparation reminds you that you are a priority and worth the time.
2. Purge your closet.
Yes, before you even think about buying new stylish clothes, you need to get rid of the old stuff.
It's around moving time for most college students, so before you pack anything, go through all your clothes and fill a give-away bag. I always go through twice. The first time, I give away no-brainers only. Those are things I haven't worn for a while and don't plan on wearing again. By the time I'm done with that first run-through, I'm high on the joy of letting go, and more willing to get rid of things that I really don't need.
If you have trouble letting go of things because you're afraid you'll need them once they're gone, make an ultimatum. One cool trick is to turn all the hangers in your closet around. Mark your calendar for 2 months in the future.
Every time you wear something, put it back with the hanger facing the right way. Once the two months are up, anything on a backward hanger has to go (unless it's like, your winter coat or something). Some people do this as a new years tradition, but I don't think wearing something once a year is a good enough reason to keep it.
3. Establish a morning self-care ritual.
This can be very hard if you're not a morning person, but I think that makes it all the more important. Taking time for yourself in the morning is the best way to start the day. It establishes that you are valuable, even if you really don't want to go to this morning class.
You don't need a 12 step skincare routine for this to work. Just wake up with enough time to allot yourself 5-10 minutes of looking in a mirror and preparing for the day. This could mean just washing your face and brushing your hair, but it stays consistent.
My perfect morning ritual would look something like this.
- Wash my face
- Put on moisturizer with spf
- Brush and style my hair
Done! Self-care can be simple and easy, and still rewarding.
4. Make your space truly yours.
It can be hard to make a space feel like your own when you're just renting it. Oftentimes, paint is not an option, and neither is nice new furniture. But, there are still ways to make a space feel personal and functional, even if it is just temporary.
If your walls have that ugly off-white bubbly look that so many apartments have, self-adhesive wallpaper can be a great solution! It peels off easily once it's time to move out, so you don't have to worry about the consequences of covering those walls.
Cheap furniture can look cute if it's dressed up right. I have a bad habit of letting crap accumulate on the surfaces in my home, which makes me feel more overwhelmed than I need to be. Try to figure out what you typically use each surface for, and then narrow it down to serve that purpose only, in a clean and stylish way. I noticed I tend to put my things down on my dresser, so I added a hook to the wall above it for my keys, and a little tray for anything else I was putting down. Anything that sits on a surface for too long goes into a drawer or a bin, because that's what they're for.
By cleaning off a surface and then decorating it around its function, you ensure that it will stay that way. It's best to design your space around your life, not the other way around.
5. Be mindful every day.
Take time to reflect and affirm. Put forth effort in noticing your reactions to things and your impulses, and then take action to alter them.
For example, I noticed that I have a lot of negative thoughts and strong urges to complain to people. I would much rather be a positive force in other people's lives, so I'm countering that by writing down a positive thing every day. You can do something like that in a journal or on a calendar!
Maybe your daily reflection is about your self-esteem. If you criticize yourself too much, write something to like about you every day. If you have a bad habit of lying, write down a truth about yourself every day. This is a quick, simple exercise that can make you more mindful and present.
Most importantly, make little changes that will improve your life and make you feel better. Any changes you make should be about you, not impressing other people. Now go have your moments!
