You know those days where nothing seems to be going your way? Every teacher seems to think you live and breathe for only their class, you might have a job or clubs that you dedicate your time to. Plus you need to see your friends and remember to do things like eat, sleep, do laundry, and call your mom. It’s a lot on a person and it can make days and weeks go by in a flash and by the end you’re just tired and wondering where the time went.
When it seems like everything’s piling up and you just can’t seem to catch your breath or your day is just plain rotten, here are some fun things to do to make your bad day 10x better!
1. Put on a costume and walk around in public
I have seen from first hand experience how much this can brighten someone’s day. And yes, that is actually my friend who dressed up in a dinosaur costume and walked around Point State Park to make himself feel better after a bad day. We counted roughly 6 people stopped and asked for a picture and one man asked for his wife to be chased by the dinosaur. Whatever works, have no shame and don’t be afraid to be a little silly.
My friend Noah, who is in the dinosaur costume, and his roommate Caleb, who owns said dinosaur costume.
2. Listen to happy music
We all know there’s great music for every occasion and a bad day is no exception. Whether you have your own go-to mix of songs that always make you smile or if you listen to any of my playlist of favorite songs that pick me up, good music is always fun to dance your way out of a funky mood.
3. Take a walk
One of the great things about living in Pittsburgh (there’s a lot) is that there’s great scenery everywhere you turn. If you’re not in the best mood, getting out of your dorm room and out to see the city may be the perfect way to cheer yourself up. My favorite place to go in Pittsburgh is the North Shore. I love taking the Roberto Clemente Bridge over early in the morning when the sun is still rising. It’s so quiet and peaceful as the city starts to hustle and bustle. I walk past PNC Park and either go right to the Andy Warhol Museum to look at art or I go left to walk past Stage AE, my favorite concert venue in all of Pittsburgh.
4. Read a book
I love reading and I have ever since I was little. It’s nice to escape your world of stress and deadlines and never-ending tasks to jump into a world full of demons and monsters, and pirates and princesses or whatever it is that you read. I love that feeling when I’m fully immersed in a world that it almost seems real.
5. Call your mom (or best friend)
I know sometimes this seems like a chore or the thing that’s giving you stress, but anytime I’m worried or anxious about something or I just feel like I don’t know what to do, I call my mom and she’s always willing to drop what she’s doing for an hour to help me sort it out. The same goes for your best friend. It can be nice to just vent and get all of your pent-up stress and frustration out. It’s even nicer when you finish and they say they completely understand what you’re going through because the same things happened to them that week.
We all have bad days, it’s inevitable. And they can feel even worse when you’re away at college and away from all the things that gave you comfort at home. Hopefully this list gave you some ideas how to face your bad day head on and get back on track for a better day tomorrow!