1. Wake up early
Waking up early may seem like the worst thing in the world to those of you who aren’t morning people, but giving yourself time in the morning to get ready, eat breakfast, and just relax before a day full of activities can change your mood for that entire day. Become a morning person! Having tea or coffee in the morning to energize you before class is something that can help you stay alert and awake for those early 8 am classes. Looking like you didn’t just roll out of bed has some perks too, right? Getting the most out of your day begins with what you do in the morning; waking up early allows you to get the most important task of the day out of the way and move onto the next!
2. Eat healthy
In college it can sometimes be difficult to eat foods that are good for you and still taste good too. It may seem that the easiest thing to do for food is to make a frozen pizza or grab a bag of chips from the cabinet, instead of preparing a dinner of chicken and vegetables. “You must nourish your body to flourish your body.” This quote couldn’t be any more true; eating clean can help you in numerous ways! Buying groceries that are healthy, or choosing the healthy options will boost your energy and make your body feel more nourished than when you put greasy foods or foods with excessive amounts of sugar into it. Loving yourself is so important, and if you love your body enough, you’ll be willing to put good into it.
3. Exercise
Be active! Everybody loves a super cute athletic outfit, right? But how many of you actually use those super cute leggings for athletic purposes? Going to the gym, doing yoga, going for a walk/run, or any other form of physical activity is such a good way to stay healthy. Using this time to relieve the stress from classes, people, or anything else in college will leave you feeling refreshed and overall better afterwards. Exercise doesn’t have to be awful or crazy! Anything fun to get your body moving and produce those happy endorphins will benefit you in ways you’d never imagine.
4. Sleep
On the night before a test, or a wild night out, it can be difficult to get the proper amount of sleep our bodies need. Sleep is SO important for staying healthy, especially during the school year. Plan your time in order to make sure that you can get to bed before the sun comes up. Once in a while, you’re going to stay up way too late, but make the effort to get the 6-8 hours each night so that you can perform your best each day! Your beauty rest is crucial to how you will function for the entire week.
5. Do things that make you happy
College can be a stressful and emotional time. Though it can definitely be the best four years of our lives, it can seem like the toughest and worst four at times too. Taking breaks from studying or just making time for yourself to be alone are important. Doing things as simple as drawing, listening to music, cooking, online shopping, or even just napping can increase your mood and decrease the amount of stress in your life. It is said that college is the place where we find ourselves, so why not spend this time doing things that make you the happiest?
6. Spend time with your favorite people
“You find your bridesmaids in college.” For some people this is spot on! Finding people just like me, who brighten my days has been a blessing that college gave me. Spending the time during these quick four years with your besties is so important! Sometimes school, sports, work, and other stressors get in the way of our precious time to spend with the people we love. Take time out of every day, or weekend, to even just briefly talk to the people who make a big impact on your life. Enjoy yourself and the positivity these people bring to you as much as you can!
7. Treat yourself once a week
Treat yo self! Eating healthy, having a perfect sleep schedule, getting all your homework done, and anything else in between is not easy each week! Give yourself something at the end of the week as a reward for all of the hard work you are constantly putting in. Buy yourself some cute shoes! Go out for ice cream! Binge watch your favorite Netflix show! You deserve a little treat sometimes just for killing it and being you!
8. Be grateful
College has made me the most grateful I have ever been. Reminding yourself that your parents most likely have helped you get to this point is really important. Call them and tell them you love them. Take notice of the even the little good things around you and be thankful for them. Be thankful for the school you attend, and all the opportunities you have because of that education. Write the things you are grateful for down each night, and begin to realize how lucky we college chicks really are!
9. Love yourself
Doing all of these healthy things show that you do indeed love yourself because of the way you are choosing to treat yourself and your body. Doing this is oh-so important for every woman, but for girls in college especially as we try to become the best versions of ourselves. Motivate yourself and be your own biggest fan. At the end of the day, the only person forever there for you is you! Realize your strengths and use them in every way that you can. Dress up for class in clothes that make you feel the prettiest. Smile as much as you can with your perfect teeth! Be content with who you are. Start rooting for yourself because YOU are awesome!