Balancing school, work, friends and a relationship can be hard, especially once you move away from home and have to parent yourself. If you’re feeling like you’re stuck in a rut, constantly dropping the ball or struggling to keep your head above the water, here’s how to live your best life and stop screwing yourself over!
Respect yourself
The first and definitely the most important, it should go without saying, but respect yourself, girl! Becoming aware and accountable for the actions that lead you astray is the first step to recovery. It’s time to be honest, make good choices and know when to walk away.
Take time for self-care
When my life feels like it is falling apart, most of my problems can be traced back to the fact that I’m not taking care of myself. Whether it’s mental or physical health, everyone needs a little TLC. Refresh and reset -simple things like getting enough sleep, drinking more water or going to the gym can make tackling challenges like showing up for that 8AM class so much easier!
Be generous…but not too generous
If you’re giving everything and getting nothing in return, then it’s no surprise why you feel neglected. Don’t be so generous to the point that you feel taken advantage of. It’s nice to go above and beyond sometimes, but you don’t have to do it all the time, especially if it’s leaving you worse for wear – don’t worry, the others will understand!
Make yourself your main priority
I am notorious for putting others before my own well being, but I just can’t help it; I will forever be the mom of my friend group. I try to be a good daughter, sister, student, employee, writer, etc. (you get the point, I’ve spread myself pretty thin) and my other responsibilities tend to fall by the wayside. Bring your goals and priorities to the forefront for once, you’re not being selfish, you’re being proactive!
Revaluate your relationships
Make sure your relationships are mutually beneficial, and not just the romantic ones! If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room. Look at your loved ones and ask yourself, “how does this person make me happy, build me up and make me a better person?” If they don’t do any of those things, then it’s time to revaluate those relationships and either try to fix them or ditch them!
Work your routine and resources
It’s easy to feel hopeless when you’re a broke student, working a dead-end job…that diploma seems so far away. There are so many times where I realize if I had just listened to my prof and done the readings every week instead of waiting for the last minute, then I would have done so much better on that midterm or project. Getting organized, making a schedule and working that routine can be the key to succeeding at student life. Utilizing the free services your campus offers or even attending office hours could make all the difference in terms of feeling motivated and prepared!
It will get easier, Golden Hawks!