Thanksgiving break is a tease. For four days I just relaxed, I did cute holiday stuff with my friends and family and then suddenly here I am. I’m back and all at once I have a million things to do, the pressure is on more than ever, but all I can think about is Christmas! With the holiday break so close it's so hard to focus on finals, all I want to do is eat holiday foods and watch cute movies. Here are the thoughts that have been racing through my mind since the second I got back on campus.
There is nothing more refreshing than a hot shower. Some would argue that morning showers help you have a happier day. Also, you look better and smell better. There is nothing grosser than greasy hair. And it keeps you healthier.
After one all nighter during Freshman year, I realized that sacrificing my Zzzz’s was not worth it. In fact, I ended up forgetting what I had studied the night before, and it threw my whole sleep schedule off. That caused all of my classes to suffer.
Showering and Sleeping are impossible when you don’t schedule. Your day probably has an element of spontaneity to it, however, it is still so helpful to have a basic timeline for your day. Some nights I’ll write each task I need to accomplish on a different sticky note. The joy at the end of the next day of crumpling each accomplished task is something you have to experience!
Nixing Ramen and nightly Domino's pizza orders will cause your personal health to skyrocket. Cutting down on caffeine will also help you sleep better. Water is also so important. With all the coffee that makes up a college student’s beverage diet, water gets overlooked. You’ll take one gulp of pure, ice cold drinking water and wonder where the heck this miracle liquid has been.
Last semester, I was exercising sporadically or “when I had time.” Here’s the thing though, an episode of The Office is 20 minutes. I was watching plenty of that. At one point, I felt so freaking stir crazy and threw on my tennis shoes and walked through the freezing Ohio weather to the gym and exercised for like 40 minutes. I’m not trying to be a body builder or anything, but you just feel so much better after a few minutes on the stationary bike or eliptical.
You need people. Friends are important. My friend and I both had crazy schedules last year, but we’d go to the grocery store together or to Wal Mart and catch up that way. It’s just good to sit and vent with someone every once in awhile. Midnight doughnut runs are also fun, or Mean Girlsmovie nights.
This one helps everyone’s productivity. Also, when you strive to be there on the dot, even if you’re a minute or two late, it helps you keep the rest of your life scheduled. Also, if you try to be on time, and plan accordingly, chances are you won’t be super stressed out trying to get somewhere 10 minutes away in 3 minutes.
There is nothing wrong with kicking back and watching a few hours of a TV show. You need it. It’s important to take your mind off the real world for a little bit.
It is vital to look inwardly and see how you’re doing, not just materially, but emotionally and spiritually. If you’re not emotionally doing well, something needs to change. It can be really hard to do well in other aspects of your life if you aren’t feeling well mentally. Journaling is the best free therapist out there, so is talking to a good friend.
Chances are, you know someone whose schedule is way more intense than yours. Or maybe you know someone who is going through a lot, but still manages to get a lot done. When I start to complain about my course load, I remember that my dad had four kids in medical school and residency. I also tr to remember that there are a lot of people out there who would love to "struggle" with too many classes. Doing something for other people can also really help make life more meaningful.
You probably have some other ideas, but these seem to work pretty dang well!
Well, I did my own laundry if that counts.
My eating routine consists of breakfast, breakfast part 2, brunch, brunch part 2, lunch, lunch part 2, dinner, dinner part 2, and a midnight "snack".
Expectations, sigh.
Although I spent more than 12 hours on this paper, I'm sure I can finish it by 3 a.m.
Said no college student ever. What's a weekend without 3 papers, 2 presentations, and 2 tests worth 50% of my grade?
I had the wonderful opportunity, as a commuter student, to try food from the campus dining hall. I have to admit that I am so grateful for homemade food!
This one is quite difficult of a goal to accomplish since the curriculums haven't been completed yet. Nonetheless, we can start revising old notes in the meantime.
