Back to school season probably sees more abandoned resolutions than New Years. I am absolutely, one hundred and fifty percent guilty of this. I always come back to campus and swear that this semester I’m going to stop being a garbage person. Just ask my roommates. “Guys, I swear this is the year when I’m going to complete my slow, steady transition into a college version of Carrie Bradshaw.” Realistic, right? If you need a swift kick in the butt to get you going this year, consider this it.
Wake Up With The Sun
This may already seem like a ridiculous suggestion, but hear me out. When you wake up earlier, you make your whole morning less stressful. You can eat an amazing breakfast, enjoy a cup of coffee, scroll through your Instagram feed, and slowly and easily greet the day. You also make yourself more productive. All that extra time you would’ve spent hitting snooze can now be used to tackle some homework assignments. You’ll be thanking yourself later on when you can collapse on the couch and shamelessly binge on Stranger Things.
Make Your Bed
I already know what you’re going to say. You’re just going to get back in it at the end of the day, so what’s the point? The point is that it’s the easiest thing you can do to make yourself more successful. It has been proven that by making your bed you set yourself up to make better decisions throughout the day, such as eating well and completing all your homework assignments. Plus it just looks nicer, unless you’re one of those people on Pinterest whose bed always looks perfectly disheveled. Tell us your secrets.
Eat Food That Makes You Feel *Pure*
Food is probably one of the most important elements of your day. Fueling your body with food you love can make such a difference in your mood and level of productivity. One of the major issues here is that people tend to confuse food that tastes good with food that makes them feel good. Listen, I love a good Cookout cheeseburger tray with fries and a sweet tea as much as the next girl. However, I tend to feel pretty crappy if I eat it too often.
Meditate or Pray
The idea of meditating can seem a bit strange. I mean, honestly, how much good could sitting still and focusing on breathing actually do? Answer: A lot. Focused meditation or prayer has shown to reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in your body. It also forms healthy cognitive behavioral habits. Trust me guys, I’m a Psych major.
Get Movin’
Ok, so maybe you’re not Simone Biles fit. Maybe the thought of going to the gym for an hour makes you wanna go eat a Cookout tray in protest. You don’t have to go pump iron for hours to get ~gains~. Getting a pedometer and making sure you’re walking 10,000 steps a day or even doing yoga in your dorm room would do the trick. I prefer twerking in my kitchen with my roommates, but that’s just me.
Exercise Your Creativity
CREATIVE OUTLETS ARE IMPORTANT. Engaging your creative side de-stresses you, inspires you, and energizes you. Think about things that you love doing but maybe don’t have time for. Pro-tip: make time for them. Color in a coloring book. Organize your Spotify playlists. Go to a dance class at Fike. Whatever you do, make sure that you feel like your most unwatered down self.