The no-man’s-land time of the winter semester is the easiest way to lose your sense of identity as a university student. You wake up on Monday, try to get through the last week of lectures, struggle to review four lectures for your upcoming exam, pass out at 2:00 am, and then wake up late to your lecture. Time gets the best of you, because before you realize, you’re three days late handing in that lab report, and you missed your window to take that quiz for bonus marks. Each day looks the same, and you can’t figure out a way to catch your breath. Even if you do try to take the time to watch a movie or focus on a hobby, you feel guilty for not studying.
It’s been two weeks since you last did laundry, you’ve been wearing the same clothes for 36 hours, haven’t eaten a real meal since last week, and your hair is settling nicely into the messy bun. It’s the sacrifice you make in an attempt to finish the semester strong, but sometimes the comfort becomes a little too uncomfortable, and you cannot wait until post-exams to feel human again. If that’s the case, here are a few ideas to get you feeling better.
Get a Motivational Drink
Coffee? Tea? Energy drink? Milkshake? It doesn’t matter! Calories do not count during study season, and you’ll get a lot more out of the energy you get from the drink itself. If getting yourself a special drink is going to get you feeling better and motivated, then it’s clearly a healthy choice.Â
Eat a Proper Meal
It doesn’t need to be homemade, but make sure it isn’t fast food. Sometimes all your body needs is some good protein, proper vegetables, and a carb that won’t make your stomach hurt. It might seem fun to live off of Twizzlers, pork rinds, and Goldfish, but your body will thank you for the proper nutrition. During my time as an undergraduate student, McDonald’s and Popeyes became way too familiar with me to the point where they knew my name. Safe to say I was happy to be out of that rut.
Take an Everything Shower
Sometimes, taking the time to care for yourself is the best thing you can do. Whenever I am not feeling like my proper self, I find that a shower is a great way to rekindle my life. I like to set out all of the products I’ll be using, and I make sure my phone has a good playlist to run through. I like to cover all the bases: hair mask, body scrub, dual shampoo, face mask, lip mask, eye patches, moisturizer, the works. Every time I step out of an everything shower, I feel rejuvenated and alive again.
Splurge on a Self-Care Treatment
If all else fails, spending some money to treat yourself is a near-surefire way to get your spark back. I love saving self-care appointments until I really need them. Whether that’s a manicure, hair cut and style, a facial, or getting my brows or lashes done, I always feel more put-together afterwards. When it comes to dire times, 50 dollars goes a long way.
