Treating yourself is mandatory to maintain balance in your life. It is so easy to get caught up with all of the busy-ness of class/studying/clubs/organizations/everything that it is easy to look at your day and wonder where it went. That is exactly how i'm feeling with this whole semester so far, considering we're already halfway finished with it and I still don't believe it's already October?

To give yourself something that you'd deserve after accomplishing a major obstacle... say, surviving your midterm or making it to all of your classes this week (because that deserves to be celebrated), there are so many fulfilling ways to treat yourself! They don't all have to be actual "treats", but if they are, more power to ya. But think about the things that make you happiest and keep those in mind when you're struggling to study for your exam tomorrow- because having a reward is one of the best motivations. It helps drive motivation and willingness to complete whatever task you need to do to reach that spot of relaxation. Here are some different, creative ways you can treat yourself-

Obviously ice cream because, come on. Look how satisfying watching that is. Maybe don't turn to ice cream for every single treat, but every now and then is totally acceptable. Find your favorite ice cream shop, whether it be a quirky hole-in-the-wall or the go-to Andy's Frozen Custard. Don't over-do it because it makes it even better to celebrate with it!

Going to the movie theaters now is so underrated, but one of the best things to do. I have so many memories being in junior high when that was the only thing we did on the weekends or in the summer. Mom or dad would drop me off and pick me up, every trip included a huge bucket of popcorn, and it seemed to be more of a social event where we would "try" to maintain a whisper throughout the movie... it was as if it was my weekly routine. Now, my trips to the movies mean actually watching the movie. Probably because tickets are nearly $10... (Tip: always ask if there's a student discount. No matter what.), but nothing is wrong with shutting off your phone and distracting yourself from everything else going on!

Although the sunrises aren't as breathtaking as the one above, Columbia has some high-quality skies. If you're able to make it that early in the morning (I promise it is so worth it!), watch the sun rise to start your day. There is no better way to. It is so peaceful and relaxing, and going with friends is even better. You're surrounded by incredible people in an incredible atmosphere. I could go on and on about how worth it is to make it a priority, say, once a month to watch it. If you're feeling adventurous, go by yourself. There's so many cool benefits that come along with it, and it's free too!

Sleep. Not everyone (including me) realizes just how important sleep is in our life. On average, college students get around 5-6 hours of sleep... when we should be getting 8-10. Don't get me wrong, getting 10 hours of sleep is way too much to ask for and I could think of a million other things I could be doing during that time. But, with how chaotic our days can be, having time to sleep is very important. So, use that as a reason to treat yourself to a killer nap. You won't regret it.