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How To Treat Yo’ Self in College (Under a Budget!)

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Maryland chapter.

Upon leaving for college, everyone is hit with this one piece of advice: “College provides you with the best years of your life. Make those experiences count!” 

As most college students know, the experience is comprised of newfound freedom and incredible friendships… but also stress! With the never-ending “hell week” and endless rounds of midterms, sometimes you need a break to wind down with your pals. 

Contrary to the popular broke-college-student belief, this endeavor doesn’t even have to be expensive. Knowing how to treat yo’ self in college, specifically under a budget, is the key to maximizing your college experience to its fullest potential.

1. Face Mask Fridays.

Get together with that close group of gals at the end of a tiring week. Order yourself some good comfort food, vent about your week and pass around some relaxing face masks. A good face mask will help you feel rejuvenated while quite literally removing a week’s worth of stress from your face. Need a reputable brand of face masks that works with your budget and actually works? Try the Freeman Beauty face mask tubes from Ulta or even Amazon. They are $5 each at most and SO worth it.

**personal note – the Anti-Stress Clay Mask with Dead Sea Minerals has proven to be a crowd favorite on all my hosted Face Mask Fridays!)

2. Order Insomnia Cookies.

The greatest feeling after a long week of working hard in all of your classes is having a box of warm, freshly-made cookies hand-delivered to you. Take advantage of the fact that you are on a college campus and can order cookies to your door, even late at night. Most Insomnia Cookies stores are open until 3am, which is perfect for those post-midnight cravings. You can take it a step further and invite someone to share cookies with you. Fulfill your sweet tooth cravings while talking about your plans for the weekend!

3. Late-Night Workouts.

As soon as you finish up with the work you need to get done, motivate yourself to hit the gym. Follow up with a nice, hot shower and loosen your muscles up before bed. As an alternative, make yourself a light breakfast and hit up a yoga class in the morning. This way, you can start the day with a workout and a relaxed state of mind, ready to seize every opportunity!

4. Stay Hydrated.

On a final note, this is a general, common tip. You’ll be surprised to see how much constant hydration can affect you positively! Invest in a clear water bottle that you can mark up and tell yourself that you’ll drink a certain amount by the end of each hour. You’ll not only feel refreshed and motivated throughout the day, but also accomplished by the fact that you’ve been able to complete a valuable task.

Overall, just make sure to create time for yourself to relax. Make sure to surround yourself with a supportive group of friends that ensures you make the most of your evenings without stressing yourself out! Even if you’re under a budget, friendship is free!