Ever get into one of those moods where you have absolutely no motivation to do anything related to school, but still want to get things done (a.k.a. every day)? Or maybe you have had one of those crazy stressful weeks—hello, finals—where the last thing you can imagine doing is more work, and yet you still have more to do?
If you got home from class today, waded through the clothes and papers that have made a nice blanket for your floor (it was definitely cold before), found your computer buried in a pile of books on your desk, and managed to create a nice place to sit on your bed before realizing you were sitting on some Cheetos that must have slipped out of the bag last night, this article is for you! Here at Her Campus, we understand the craziness that is the end of the semester. No need to fret, though, collegiettes—we’re about to outline some of the best productive things to do on the days when you just can’t imagine cracking a book, so get reading!
Clean Your Room
If you read any/all of the statements above and thought to yourself, “Sh*t, that’s me…,” then this is probably the tip for you. While cleaning your room can feel like a drag (and probably brings back bad memories of your mom telling you to clean your room incessantly), there are plenty of ways to make cleaning fun! And, believe me, you’ll feel a whole lot better about doing work in your room if it is organized and clean. Number one tip for making cleaning a bearable experience? Pump loud cleaning music! Pick out some of your favorite songs that are pop-y and upbeat, and dance your way to a clean room, Disney Princess-style.
Do Crafts
One of the many problems that plagues our generation is that of the Pinterest DIY boards. They grow and expand as you find more and more things to repin, and you’ve probably made about one thing on the entire list, if you’re lucky. But all that clothing, jewelry, dorm decoration, and body products await you; so don’t be shy, bite the bullet and make something fun! DIY crafts can be a great way to spend your time, and you can also end up with some freaking awesome creations!
Give Your Body Some Much-Needed Love
Take a second and ask yourself: when was the last time I showered? If the answer does not come to you right away, it might be time for you to give your body some TLC. Today, instead of doing your homework, put on a facemask, do a body scrub, eat some healthy food, drink lots of water, and go to bed early. Your body will thank you in the morning! College students are known to overwork themselves all week and then not take the weekend to attend to themselves. If you follow the motto, “work hard, play hard,” then take one of those unmotivated school nights and use that as your Body TLC Day.
Run Errands
Running errands can feel SO productive. Go into town or to the mall and get some serious shopping done. Plus, running errands forces you to get off campus for a little while, which everyone needs in order to stay sane. You probably also need to get an iced coffee while you’re out. Actually, not probably. Definitely. No question.
Look Into Study Abroad Options
This is something you should start on as soon as possible – the earlier you figure out where you want to go and what the requirements are for going there, the easier it is to actually apply (and it’s SO much less stressful). So Google search gorgeous pictures of the country, look at different programs, and start thinking about what kinds of things you want to study while you’re away! Studying abroad is such an exciting part of college – why not get started figuring it out now? (If you already studied abroad, spend some time looking into working abroad after graduation or traveling over the summer!)
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Cook/Bake Delicious Things
What better way to spend your time than to make things that will make you happy later? Gather a group of friends, find some fun recipes, and make yourselves a delicious meal. Chances are it’ll be healthier than any DHall meal and a heck of a lot more fun to make (although it isn’t too hard to beat grabbing a red plastic plate and filling it with the nearest fried foods). And here’s a fun fact: boys will always accept cookies – so once your baked goods are done, hit up your crush with an offer he just can’t refuse!
Practice Fun New Makeup Trends
Do you, like most of us, get to Friday night and have absolutely no idea what to wear out? After spending the evening trying on every single thing in your closet, your roommate’s closet, and your friend’s bag of clothes she brought for herself, do you finally find that perfect look and then realize you have approximately thirty seconds to put on makeup before your friends are heading out? So, you throw on your normal “going out” makeup and the next morning realize all the close-up selfies you end up taking look basically the same as last week’s selfies so your outfit choice didn’t really matter anyways. Next time you find yourself avoiding your books, head to a mirror and try out some new makeup trends! Just make sure to have makeup remover on hand and a friend who will tell you the truth. Don’t be afraid to go a little wild and have fun!
(Picture on the right)
Laundry
Again, if that sea of laundry sounded reminiscent of your room, it’s probably time to do your laundry. It’s always okay to have some clothes that are in the maybe-clean-maybe-dirty-maybe-give-it-a-smell-test stage lying around your room, but once you feel like Moses parting the Red Sea, you definitely need to gather your clothes and detergent and wash the last month’s worth of clothing. Buying new socks and underwear because that’s all you REALLY need to keep clean is unacceptable.
Get off your butt, walk the few steps to the laundry room, and feel really good about yourself when your clothes are all clean, folded, and put away (and spend an hour and a half avoiding homework because you couldn’t possibly distract yourself with work while waiting on your laundry… you never know when the washing machine might need you!).
Dream About Your Future
We are firm believers in the ideas that collegiettes should dream big! When you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the small things that are going on in your daily life, take some time and look at the big picture. Where do you imagine yourself in five years? In ten? What do you want to accomplish in life? You don’t have to come to any sort of conclusion, but it’s always nice to let your imagination run wild.
Work on Projects
Do you have one of those projects somewhere in your room that you started forever ago and just never had time to finish? But it’s still just sitting there, taking up your space (both physically and mentally)? And it sits and sits and part of you kind of hopes that one night while you’re sleeping, some little elves will show up and finish it for you? Newsflash: elves don’t exist and even if they did, do you really think they would waste their time making the art project you started last month? NO. Finish that project, girl; you’ll definitely be proud of yourself afterwards for getting it done!
Help Out the Community
There is literally nothing better you can do with your free time than to make the world a better place. Find places in your community where you can help out every so often and make less fortunate people happier and also feel rewarded. This is simple and easy, and what’s better than feeling like you accomplished something and made yourself a better person?