By: Nicole Marino
Last year I won Her Campus’ Spring Giveaway. I received a bag full of great things, including a ton of dry shampoo and lipstick, a Juicy Couture bracelet, some coupons, and what I loved most, Erin Condren pens and a coupon. I had never heard of that company before that and was excited to check it out. As someone who loves organization and scheduling, I was amazed after going on the website. Their vast selection of planners, pens, stationery, and more excited me beyond belief. I decided to use my coupon to buy myself a Life Planner, a customizable planner with weekly and monthly layouts. After personalizing the cover with photos of me and my friends, I went on to order it. I can still say today that it was definitely a worthwhile investment.
My first semester of college certainly took a toll on me. I was getting little sleep, was stressed out most of the time, and felt guilty for every minute that I wasn’t doing homework. My inability to get a proper grasp of my time led to putting school first and my health last. Some say that you have to do that in college, but I disagree. Getting an education should not come at a physical cost. Through all the studying and late nights, I hadn’t noticed that it had affected until I went home for winter break. I realized that I couldn’t fall asleep until at least 2 AM each night. I ended up getting really sick and was forced to spend the first half of my break on bedrest with a 104-degree fever. At that point, I decided that I couldn’t let that happen again.
There are two major ways that my Life Planner has helped me in that regard. The first is that it allows me to take a little bit of time each week to de-stress. For about 15 minutes every Sunday, I grab my colorful pens and plan out my week. Adding a pop of color and fun stickers turned out to be pretty relaxing and are now something I look forward to doing.
The second way the Life Planner helped me is a little more important. Being able to visualize my day, week, and month all in one place has helped me get a better grasp of balancing school, health, and my social life. By first scheduling in my classes and club meetings, which are mandatory, I then see what time is still left. I then plan gym sessions 2-3 times a week. With the remaining time, I add in some fun social events and try to save a little down time for myself. Finally, I plan what homework I’m going to do each night, attempting to allow for 7-8 hours of sleep a night.
That may sound impossible, and obviously some weeks are exceptions, but for the most part, I’ve been able to find a good balance between it all. This allowed for a less stressful and healthier second semester. Had I not won Her Campus’ Spring Giveaway, I may not have discovered this system that’s been working wonders for me. That’s why I encourage you to do the same. Finding a routine that works can help bring out your best you!
Cover Photo Credits: The Beauty and the Chic
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