I have a joke with my mom every time I come home from school. “I need to turn back into a human!” I exclaim, and as soon as there’s some availability in our busy schedules, we embark on a superficial day full of eyebrow threading, mani-pedis, and lunch that tastes nothing like it was cooked in a dining hall. Back home, we make smoothies and lounge on the couch catching up on our TV shows (and then re-watching them). The stress diminishes, I have the energy to get up and get things done and I feel, well, human again.
At Amherst, we are all so busy over-committing to things that pull us in eighteen different directions that we forget to take care of ourselves. Meals are skipped and hours of sleep are lost to meet deadlines and make time for practices. Before you know it, the semester is almost over and you’re trying (and failing) to run on empty. Finals week shows up and you’re unhappy, unkempt, and vulnerable to an illness that you most definitely catch. If you’re lucky like I was at the end of my first semester here, you’ll get through finals week by denying the possibility that you’re sick, only to end up in the emergency room with mono and tonsillitis the day after Christmas. A month at home in bed is no reward for three and a half months of hard work.
It sounds obvious, but if you take the time to do little things that make you feel good, they’re going to count when it matters. Sure, probably no one will notice if you get a haircut before your big interview, and if you skip it, that means you have another hour to study; however, you’ll notice, and that boost of confidence will pay off when you know you are presenting the best version of yourself.
Here are just a few ideas:
1. After that long day of classes, give yourself an hour to relax. Paint your nails, smear on a facemask, and read a gossip magazine. Doing nothing of consequence for a little while will pick you up to tackle a busy night.
2. Reward yourself. Any college student who says he or she doesn’t love getting packages is lying. It’s so tempting to fill up online shopping carts, and it’s good to be good to yourself, but you’ll find your funds dwindling on things you don’t need. I found this great site called graze.com, and every two weeks they send you a box of hand picked (semi healthy!) snacks. And they’re only $6 a box, so it’s a good way to keep the special delivery craving at bay while also keeping you from reaching for a greasy bag of chips.
3. Make time to be social. This doesn’t necessarily mean partying. Sunday brunch with your roommates or an off-campus excursion can help you break away from the chaos and maintain the chaos. Friends, good friends especially, are pretty awesome at helping you create a balance and feel good about yourself.
4. Stretch when you wake up. While you’re deciding whether or not you REALLY have to get out of bed and start your day, point and flex your toes, stretch your neck from side to side, little things that will start to charge your body and relieve tension.
Above all, wake up knowing that, despite your busy calendar and packed routine, it’s a new, exciting day. Smile at yourself in the mirror while you’re brushing your hair, make it a goal to say hi to the people you pass, and know that half the battle of succeeding is believing that you can.