At this point in our lives all of us have habits that are hard to break. Granted once you get to college you are basically two decades deep into who you are and how you navigate the world around you. Some habits can be harmful, while others can help improve your day to day life. Here are a few that I would recommend adding to your daily routine.
- Journal
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Having a physical log of the things you have gone through during your best and worst days can be quite cathartic when you need to get frustrations out or gush about something amazing when you feel like you’ve already talked about it too much. Even then you also get to have a physical representation of your personal growth that you can always reference back to. You’ll remember how you overcame obstacles, reflect on mistakes and realize how far you’ve come.
- Be Active
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Whether you like to stretch in the morning or go for quick swims, it’s important to make sure that your body is moving. In college, it is easy to get stuck in a cycle of sitting at a computer doing homework and watching TV, it can feel like a drag to get up and sweat. But regardless of how much it sucks sometimes, afterwards when those endorphins are flowing, you will be glad that you did.
- Single Tasking
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In college we are expected to get so many things done in a short amount of time. Go to class, work, be active in clubs, have internships and don’t forget to manage to squeeze in a social life. Granted multitasking can save time and genuinely be a good tool to have in your tool belt, it is just as – and sometimes even more important – to focus on a single thing at a time. It is normal to feel overwhelmed and stressed, but sometimes the best way to relieve that stress is by focusing on each task individually, allowing for the product to be better than say if you were focusing on it while handling four other things.
- Make Yourself a Priority
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You are your own partner in life. No one else will understand where you are coming from because they haven’t been in your shoes and experienced all the tragedies and triumphs you have endured. It is okay to take some time for yourself to eat your favorite food, go to the spa, speaking with your counselor or just spending a day in your apartment watching your favorite shows while wearing those pants. However you recharge and take inventory of your well being is what you should be doing on a consistent basis for you – not anybody else.
- Treat People With Kindness
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Life is a rollercoaster of emotions and events that we can’t control, but one thing that we can control is how we react. It’s easy to glare at the person who accidentally stepped on the back of your shoe, but you can change that uncomfortable moment into laughter. You never know if that person is having the worst day and on top of it they’re getting lashed out at for an accident. We’re all human and we make mistakes. Whether its an action or reaction, remember there is a reason why everyone does something whether you know why or not. So why not be the little firefly light in the darkness.
A few simple changes can shift your perspective. This is just a small list of habits that can have a positive impact on your life. Some can hinder your happiness while others elevate it. The most important thing is to live our lives in a way that makes us happy and the habits we continue today influence who we are tomorrow.
So, how are you feeling about the you of tomorrow?