It’s that time of year again.
You know what I’m talking about — that magical time when the snow starts to fall, we can feel the changing of seasons, and you experience the excitement of university life all over again.
Oh, wait, no. Not that time of the semester. I’m referring to the time of the year when you’re almost at the finish line, finals feel somehow both too close and too far away, and you just sort of give up because what’s the point? Between courses and your social life, you feel like a seesaw, juggling one or the other. And mental health? Well, you can forget about that. Most days, it feels like taking a shower is too much effort, and ingesting nutritious food can see itself out the door.
For students at CU Boulder, our reality is looking a little different this year. And by different, I mean warmer. The insane heatwave that we’re going through — in the middle of November mind you — is heightening the amount of crap we’re dealing with. You can imagine my frustration as I, a sophomore, walked to my public speaking class, sweating through my jeans and the jumper I was wearing, and subsequently, all of my makeup. I felt personally victimized by life.
College, at any time of the semester, can feel like an uphill battle. We balance classes, friends, family, clubs, and internships, all while maintaining our appearance and mental health. But during times like these, when it feels like the universe is against you, it’s important to implement tiny, little habits to stay sane and keep on keeping on.
So, let me help you climb out of that slump one tip at a time. This isn’t a randomly thrown-together list of suggestions; this is my formula for getting rid of the sluggish habits that seem to attach themselves to us. Follow me!
- Put your phone down! Immediately.
During a slump, watching other people get up, be productive, and live their best lives can feel like second-hand motivation. We feel as if we’re doing just as well as the folks on our screens, without the actual responsibility of having to get our lives together. Set your phone down or even chuck it across the room. You’re not doing yourself any favors by prolonging the tasks you need to get out of the way!
- Take a drink of water.
Water is the quickest way to feel refreshed and hydrated. Indulge in a tall glass of water, and let the relief wash over you. Keep drinking until you feel satisfied and ready to continue our steps.
- Write out a to-do list.
The next step for climbing out of this mid-year slump is to handwrite a to-do list on a piece of paper. I don’t want any of the Notes app stuff. I want to see you take a legit piece of paper, a pen, and vomit all the things you need to get done onto it. Then, as you complete each point, scratch it out. At the end of the day, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment when you crumple up the paper and toss it in the trash!
- Talk to yourself.
Yes, maybe this step seems a bit weird to some, but personally, when I’m in a slump, there is no one I’d rather walk through my day with than myself. You might be wondering what I say to myself. I go through what I need to do, give myself a run-down of my day like I’m an influencer, or even just tell myself I’m doing great when I make my bed. Be your own best friend!
- Practice your personal hygiene.
That shower you’ve been putting off? Take it now. Need to freshen up your makeup? Do it now. Feeling like you need to brush those teeth? March yourself to the bathroom and complete all your personal hygiene at once. You will feel uplifted immediately and ready to conquer all those things we wrote down on our to-do lists!
- Put on an action outfit.
Amanda, what in the world is an action outfit? Fantastic question! Pick out an outfit that makes you feel confident and ready to get out of your house. This can be a cute, casual fit or a workout set, or something that makes you feel incredibly attractive! Changing into your action outfit signals to your brain that you are ready to take on the day.
- Final step: Leave your room or apartment.
Let’s circle back to that to-do list. I’m sure there’s more than one item that requires deep focus and attention to complete. Exiting the space where your slump occurred allows you to breathe in fresh air and take inspiration from new surroundings. My best tip: go to a coffee shop. Like-minded people will be finishing up their own to-do lists, and getting a fun beverage to accomplish their own tasks will make the tasks much more enjoyable.
Yes, being in a mid-year slump can feel like one of life’s worst battles, but I promise you, it’s not forever. During this time of year, we also experience such wonderful things — we spend time with loved ones, we celebrate holidays, and the seasons transition from color-changing autumn to snow-covered winter. A slump can be hard to pull ourselves out of, but once you do, everything will fall into place.