If you’re active on social media, you may have noticed the new trend of “Library Morning Routines,” “Study With Me,” and “Day In The Life” videos that have circulated on TikTok and Instagram for a long time. The “Library Morning Routines” trend arose over the last couple of months as a way for people to slow down and enjoy public spaces while also enriching their brains.
So, what is the “Library Morning Routine“?
Characterized by the calm atmosphere and stack of well-loved notebooks, the “Library Morning Routine” usually shows an intro selfie shot of the creator sitting down holding her notebooks, followed by shots of the library architecture. In the video, creators showcase their journaling routines, which include things such as a brain dump, a list of things they’re grateful for, some type of puzzle, and reading a few pages of their book.
The idea of this routine is to take time for yourself in the morning, be present, and set yourself up for a successful day.
While this routine is glamorized on the internet, it’s unrealistic to imagine that you could wake up early everyday, go to the library, and complete a one hour routine. On top of classes, extracurriculars, jobs, and social life, adding a journaling routine can feel like a chore. After forcing yourself to complete this routine day after day, it may start to feel like something you need to do rather than something you want to do.
However, here are some tips and alterations that you can make to fit this routine into your lifestyle.
Instead of doing this routine every day, find a time once a week that works for you. You can reflect on your week as a whole, listing the things that went well, the things you’re grateful for, and what you’re looking forward to or thinking about going into the next week. By spacing out your journal sessions, you’ll find it’s easier to make this routine a habit and something you look forward to rather than something that is a chore.
The goal of this routine is to have fun and challenge you to grow as a person!
Make sure to include your friends. While the “Morning Library Routine” videos are usually done alone, you can make it a social opportunity by going with friends to a cafe, journaling, doing puzzles, and reading together. By including friends, it provides another incentive and makes the routine something fun rather than a task on a to-do list.
Additionally, space out the routine. While all of the components of the routine provide benefits, you don’t have to do them all in one sitting. Find out what works for you. Maybe one week you have a lot of free time, so you have a slow morning and spend over an hour on this routine.
However, maybe during finals week, you’re swamped, so you just make a quick list of three things you’re grateful for. In the end, it’s all about what works for you personally and how you can find the most enjoyment and growth from it.
The “Library Morning Routine” videos promote a great habit of reflecting and exercising your brain to stimulate growth and learning. However, for busy schedules, it’s unrealistic to complete every single day.
TRY OUT THE LIBRARY MORNING ROUTINE SOMETIME!
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, watch us on TikTok, and read our latest Tweets.