On Sunday Scaries: Reasons & Remedies
On Sunday my friend Sophie texts in our group chat, “This is a scary Sunday,” and everyone immediately sends messages agreeing. It is 9 p.m., my roommate Emerson and I are watching Modern Family while I finish folding my laundry, quietly dreading the next morning.
Again, my phone chimes with a text from Sophie saying “I had lots of fun [this weekend] it just makes it [the weekend] feel shorter sometimes.”
I responded agreeing, remarking that it’s like getting hit by a bus. Emerson sent “The weekend isn’t long enough” and everyone emphasized the message.
It’s true the weekend isn’t long enough. Especially in the height of the semester with midterms and projects looming ahead of us. It’s hard to find a true break.
When I was young, my favorite day of the week was Sunday. I associated it with rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. In early middle school, I was obsessed with bullet journaling—a customizable organizational system designed to schedule events and track your life. Every Sunday afternoon was designated to making my “spreads” for the week. I religiously watched bullet journal Youtubers for inspiration on doodles, layouts, and calligraphy methods. I would make a mood tracker, habit tracker, weekly schedule, “brain dump” section and any other random thing I wanted to keep track of. The irony is, at that age, I had literally nothing to keep track of. So, I would make up events or tasks I had to complete just to fill my pages. I mostly enjoyed the organizational ritual ahead of the week. Plus, it made me feel more adult.
Now, I do actually have responsibilities to complete, so Sundays aren’t as fun anymore. No longer do Sundays feel like a day of rest and rejuvenation, but a harsh deadline to a never-ending to-do list. The sunset on a Sunday night brings on a low-level sense of paranoia that you’ve forgotten about something very important. Throughout the day, a pit of dread settles in the deepest level of your stomach, knowing you have a busy week ahead.
According to MIBlueDaily, the Sunday scaries don’t necessarily mean we dislike our responsibilities during the workweek, rather it is the sudden transition from our personal lives to professional lives that can feel stressful (MIBlueDaily). After a few days of release from the regular stress of responsibilities, it’s challenging to adjust back to the productive mindset.
As my friend Sophie said, the more fun on a weekend, the faster it flies by. When we’re having fun, our brain stops actively tracking time and becomes immersed in the experience (Life Noggin). Then, when we return to our responsibilities, it feels like we’ve lost time to complete the tasks on our to-do lists.
However, weekends aren’t the only time for fun. I think one of the best remedies for the Sunday scaries is to schedule things to look forward to during the week. It’s all about injecting fun into your daily life, making fun something that’s regular, not novel. If you are experiencing an especially debilitating bout of Sunday scaries, make a list of the things you’re looking forward to for the week. It can be the simplest things: like the dinner you’re going to make tomorrow night or listening to music on your walk to class. If you can’t think of anything you’re excited about, consider making room for fun in the midst of your responsibilities!
Sometimes Sundays are scary. But, the good news is that you are able to control how you react to those feelings. Do you lean into the dread and stress? Or do you take action to infuse fun into your Monday morning and celebrate the ebbs and flows of life?
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