I’ve started to notice that the small stuff matters more than I thought. Things like catching a sunset through my dorm window when I’m supposed to be doing homework, or that first sip of my Starbucks refresher that somehow makes everything feel manageable for a minute. Or laughing with my roommate about something dumb while we sit in matching pajamas. None of it’s that deep, but it feels important anyway.
Everyone online keeps saying “romanticize your life,” and honestly, I used to roll my eyes at that. It sounded like one of those trends that only works if your life already looks perfect. But lately, I’ve realized it’s not really about being aesthetic, it’s about trying to slow down when everything feels like it’s just too much.
College is chaotic. There’s always something due, someone texting you, somewhere you’re supposed to be. Some days it feels like I’m running on autopilot, just trying to keep up. So the little moments like making my bed in the morning, walking to class with my favorite playlist, turning down the lights before I start studying, they help. They make things feel less heavy.
I think the reason it works is that our brains like to make patterns. Doing something small and familiar makes you feel safe. It’s a reminder that not everything has to be big or dramatic to matter. Drinking Starbucks, taking a walk, painting your nails, or getting dinner with a friend. Those are the things that bring you back to yourself when the world gets loud.
And the truth is, those small rituals start to tell your story. The music you listen to while walking across campus, the way you decorate your room, the late-night snacks you always reach for—they’re tiny, but they’re yours. They make you, you.
Romanticizing the little things isn’t about ignoring reality. It’s about softening it. It’s saying, “yeah, everything’s kind of overwhelming right now, but this small thing still makes me happy.” It’s finding comfort in what you can control and letting that be enough for now.
College isn’t always the best years of your life, like everyone says. Sometimes it’s just exhausting. But when I slow down and notice the small things like waking up in my warm bed, the quiet walks, the laughs that turn into crying because everything’s funny at 2 a.m., it feels okay again.
In the end, the little things are what make the big things really worth it.