Have you ever had a day where you wake up and you think to yourself, “how am I going to get through the day,” or better yet you just sit up and then lay right back down and fall back asleep because you are not having it? College is stressful and tiring and sometimes you have bad days where you just are not your usual happy self. Everyone experiences this at least once in the school year and turning your day or week around might be tough if you get a bad exam grade, or if you wake up late and miss class or if you are simply just in a bad mood; however, it is possible!
What I like to do when I am having an off or bad day is to take time for myself and really think about the positives of my day and the negatives. Usually, there are more positives that surround my day than negative, but my mind tends to focus on the one bad thing which then amplifies my upset feeling. Therefore, I will take out a notebook and create a chart of the good and the bad in the day. After doing this I usually realize there is nothing to be upset about or the thing that is making me upset is minuscule and should not shape my day.
Another thing I like to do when I am having a “meh” day, and some of you might not agree with this, but I like to exercise. Sweating releases endorphins and researcher McGovern puts it simply, “These endorphins tend to minimize the discomfort of exercise, block the feeling of pain and are even associated with a feeling of euphoria.”Also, when we are sitting down we tend to focus on more things and our brain is racing, but when you exercise you tend to forget about your worries because you are focused on something else. Sweating just feels good and I feel revived after a workout and stronger to take on the day. I personally like to go to Soulcycle to let go of my negative energy because it’s a fun workout with blaring music with an inspirational instructor, so it always put a smile back on my face. I also like to go with my friends so it instantly puts me in a better mood. Also, I know a lot of people like yoga because it is relaxing and puts your mind at ease for an hour.
I also like to treat myself if I am having a bad day. I know it’s a lame excuse but it’s a good one when you are feeling down and want to go get your nails done or take a break from the grilled chicken in the dining hall. If I am having a bad day and I have extra time on my hands I do like to get my nails done because it is relaxing but not too time-consuming. If I don’t do that, instead I might go to Sweetgreen for dinner and enjoy a nice, fresh salad instead of eating a normal, boring, dining hall meal. This makes my day instantly better because it’s a nice treat that I don’t normally get. If I am consumed with homework and don’t have time to leave campus, I will uberEATs myself frozen yogurt for after dinner because who does not like a sweet treat?!
Lastly, if I am having a bad day I will call my friends from home or call my mom. This sounds cheesy but it always helps me. When I Facetime my friends from home it is never ending laughter and we can talk for hours. It takes my mind off of whatever stress of thing that was making me upset and it vanishes. Talking with friends or family always helps me because it is a distraction from your normal daily activities. I always relive high school memories on the phone or I listen to my friends talk about their school and what they love and it automatically sets me back to my happy self. In addition, sometimes if I am having a bad day I will look through old photos on my phone or videos from my Snapchat and just laugh to myself. I actually enjoy doing this because it puts me back in that moment where I was happy!
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