The ‘That Girl’ Routine: Is it Manageable for College Students?

What is a happy life without a healthy lifestyle? Wait, do college students even know about healthy lifestyles? I’m not talking about the 24/7 working out and only eating greens. I mean eating homemade meals, sleeping 8 hours, and touching grass. Social media’s algorithm tends to emphasize the ‘that girl’ routine, and trust me, that’s all I yearn for right now. But can we as college students afford to lay everything on the line for a good night’s sleep? 

I’m sure everyone has heard about the ‘that girl’ routine, but is it doable with a crazy schedule? I decided to give it a try for a few days to let you know. From Monday through Friday, I made sure to do what that girl would and see what happened. For reference, I did my research and decided to schedule the five days focusing on my physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. My daily summaries below are not day-in-my-life entries, but rather small things I noticed while following this routine.

Here’s what my five days looked like: 

Monday → Class from 11:30 AM-5:15 PM:

I am a morning person in the sense that the early sun is my favorite part of the day, not in the sense that waking up to singing chickens excites me. I eventually rolled out of bed and continued with the schedule I had set, and the sunrise did not disappoint. Some of my classes were cancelled, so I had time to work on papers and assignments while on campus.

I got home around 6:25 PM and immediately got to cooking. Unfortunately, by the time I finished cooking, eating, and cleaning, it was already 8PM, meaning I lost 30 minutes of studying. With an hour of work time left, I barely had enough time to submit any reading discussions I had due that night, but not to study the material I had planned. Going to sleep at 10:30 PM was a bit odd.

Tuesday → Class from 4 PM-6:50 PM:

I woke up feeling refreshed and in a productive mood. Maybe this sleep schedule did help. I took the morning slow since I had time, and by 10:30 AM I was able to have a sit-down breakfast, which I typically don’t have much time for during the week. I got to campus around 12:30 PM and went straight to the library to work on papers and read for classes. I took small walking breaks every 45 minutes and then decided to spend 30 minutes before class catching up with a friend. Realistically, this routine is about setting a balance.

After class, I knew I wasn’t going to be in bed by 10:30 PM because I had meetings to attend after 8 PM. I got home around 11:30 PM and still had to study for a quiz. I promised myself I wouldn’t sleep late to still follow the routine I had set, so I got ready and went to bed at midnight.

Wednesday → Class from 11:30 AM-5:15 PM

Not the best idea to study for a quiz the morning of, but I told myself I wouldn’t break this routine. I’d say this was the scariest part of the week: having a quiz and studying for it days prior, but not as much as I would have liked. Luckily, the quiz and the rest of the day went well. Because Wednesdays are my last day of classes, the afternoon continued on schedule, and stressing about the next day wasn’t an issue.

Thursday → No school

All went to plan, but because I didn’t have school, I chose to drive to LA (I’m local) and go to some of my favorite places. While I was there, I chose to work on my assignments and other tasks.

Friday → No school

At this point, I’ve noticed that following this routine works very well on days I don’t have class. I’m not rushing to follow a balanced routine while stressing out about class. Getting up and going for a walk without the rush of having to beat traffic truly was a nice way to start my day. I had an on-campus event I had to attend, but I still followed the night routine as planned. This night, I was also able to lie in bed after a nice shower with a new book and a face mask! It felt like heaven.

My findings

10/10 recommend. Not to be dramatic, but sleeping does make wonders. Having a steady sleep schedule increased my mood and productivity throughout the week. It allowed me to wake up and not dread the tasks ahead of me. But I will say, I’ve seen countless videos of girls waking up at the crack of dawn, going to work out at their local gyms, or going to coffee shops to work or journal. Doing so really is up to you! Because I am a college student on a tight budget, I chose to work out at home, go for walks, study on campus, and make my own food/coffee at home!

Though, the whole point of this piece isn’t whether I’d recommend it or not, but rather if it’s manageable as a college student. I’d say if you set your mind to follow the routine, then yes, it can be manageable. Although it may depend on your own class schedule. Going to sleep by 10:30PM wasn’t an issue on Monday and Wednesday when I had late classes, or no classes the following day. Although, waking up at 6AM on Wednesday morning after a long Tuesday night wasn’t the easiest task on Earth. Plus, as a student who has to read about 75 pages a day for classes and write several papers per week, sometimes risking a steady routine is what needs to be done to finish all my tasks. Especially during finals season, everyone’s routines (or lack thereof) look different. I will definitely incorporate this routine into my daily lifestyle, but maybe not during finals when stepping away from my laptop or books isn’t an option. Who knew! As a kid, all I wanted was to never sleep, and now all I want to do is sleep.

Overall, this routine is not to satisfy the internet, but to help you become a better version of yourself. You don’t need to have a gym membership to keep active or drive to the beach to get some sun. If there’s a will, there’s a way, and you can do all of these things at home and at your own pace! I can’t wait for Summer to live out my ‘that girl’ routine! Will you?