The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Brown chapter.
After a year and half of rolling out of our beds and logging into class on our laptops from the comfort of our homes, it’s finally time to return to the halls of Smitty B and Barus & Holley for in-person classes. While the excitement in the air is palpable, there’s a tangible transition period that we all seem to go through. Personally, getting up early, putting on clothes other than sweatpants, and walking around campus has left me exhausted and ready for the weekend… and it’s only been 3 days. As we transition back to normal life in these next couple of weeks, here are some tips to ease the stress that shopping period always presents.
- Update your calendar and make a schedule. For me, I always feel much better after I make a to-do list or update my Google calendar so that I can see what is coming next and understand all of my commitments. While this may be hard to do during the shopping period, make sure to write down anything important that comes up during the week. This way, you’ll avoid being late to a meeting that’s in person (instead of Zoom) or accidentally missing it altogether.
- Prioritize self-care. When times get crazy, I always try to amp up my self-care practices. This week, I have been trying to fit in exercise, time with my friends, and the occasional face mask at night. All of these things have helped me stay sane after the craziness of a day of classes. Next week, I’m planning to try the new spin studio on Thayer Street before I head over to Wayland Square for some Feed the Cheeks cookies.
- Sleep! This is something that I have definitely not been able to find a lot of in the past few days. For some reason, I feel like the hours in the day just go by too quickly, and when I look at the clock it’s already past midnight. In the next few weeks, I’m going to make sure I’m getting enough rest and taking advantage of power naps when necessary. Since we are all juggling full schedules and social calendars, nights can get late. However, prioritizing sleep is an important part of maintaining mental health and overall wellness.
- Make sure to fit in social activities. The most exciting part of the “return to in-person” is being able to see friends around campus, make plans for group dinners, and enjoy parties off-campus again. However, the addition of a social calendar, on top of in-person classes, can be stress-inducing. I believe that instead of worrying about missing time to do homework in exchange for time with friends, I will look at these times as an opportunity to recharge and return to my work at a later time.
- Continue to stay COVID safe. Despite all of the exciting developments in the return to normal, there is still the looming possibility of getting COVID. And while many of us are vaccinated, the highly contagious delta variant still presents a serious risk. However, by maintaining a proper sleep schedule and prioritizing health and wellness, you can stay healthy and still have a fun semester.