This time of year can be stressful. Getting back into the routine of going to classes regularly, having hours of homework, and studying for exams is always a challenging adjustment. As someone who often struggles with stress management, I find that incorporating little ways to boost my serotonin helps me stay sane. My favorite way to do this is by adding more whimsy to my life! There are many ways to do this, but in this article I will stick to explaining my very favorite ones.
1. Stickers!
Many people view stickers as something only for children, but I find that I can still enjoy them just as much as I did as a little kid. You can decorate spaces that are usually boring to look at to give you that little boost of happiness. My favorite places to put stickers are on the glove compartment in my car, on my iPad and laptop, on my portable power bank, and on my school notebooks. I like to find my stickers at craft stores and online, so I can pick sheets and booklets that suit my personal style best.
2. Bag charms!
Similarly to stickers, bag charms are a great way to spruce up plain bags and backpacks. My favorite bag charms are a fish charm and a cat charm, both of which I keep on my purse. I also have keychains from different gift shops that I keep on my backpack. One is the Eiffel Tower, which I bought in Paris, and one is beads painted in the colors of the Senegal flag. I bought these keychains when I traveled to these places, so each time I look at them, I think back on the fun memories I made on my trips. I find that bag charms and keychains are the most fun to keep when they are sentimental in some way, so you can keep pleasant reminders of good memories with you at all times.
3. Junk journaling!
This is a relatively new hobby of mine, but I love it so much already. The concept is simple. Collect things that you would usually throw away, like event flyers, expired coupons, soda tabs, and perfume samples. I like to make collages of these sorts of items from a set period of time, usually random stuff I collected over each week. I add colorful doodles to the collage to make an art piece that memorializes that week of my life. I find this is a great way to express creativity and romanticize your life, providing a fun and cathartic way to reflect on your experiences.
4. Pen pals!
A close friend of mine recently suggested that we become pen pals. We are both artists, so we began writing each other letters with intricate drawings. Even though we only live an hour apart and can text each other whenever we’d like, there’s something so satisfying about writing letters. It takes so much more thought and time to write a good letter than to craft a text message. I’ve found it’s a great way to express my love and feel loved by my friend. Pick someone you feel close and comfortable with, so you can write about whatever you want and look forward to hearing what they wrote, too. In an increasingly digital world, there is something so novel about getting to check the mailbox for the next letter.
5. scavenger hunts!
I like to go for nature walks regularly to stay active. I recently saw a trend online where a runner challenges himself to run until he sees various objects suggested in his comment section. While I’m not much of a runner, I started challenging myself to do the same sort of thing on my walks. Instead, I like to use a species identifier that scans plants, animals, and fungi and saves them in an observation log. Each walk, I challenge myself to find a specific species to log, preferably one I haven’t caught yet. This is a great motivator to keep you active, and it helps you to be more mindful and present on your walk. Plus, it’s so satisfying to keep all your observations in one place and see how much you’ve logged!
I hope that at least one of these ideas inspired you to form a new whimsical habit. These activities, while simple, are some of the things I look forward to most in my daily life!