In college, it’s no surprise that it can feel impossible to cram everything in. In my last article, I gave some advice on how to get ahead these next four years with an ambitious lifestyle. Yet, if you wake up feeling tired, go to bed feeling completely drained, and just push through one thing to get to the next, you may be overworking yourself.
Although it’s important to get things done, if you’re not finding time to recharge in a productive way it will be more difficult to continue in the long run. In the following list, I’ve compiled a few ways college students can refresh themselves from their super busy and productive lives (go you!). Just remember, the point of these mental breaks are not for them to feel like another chore on your to-do list. Do things the way that feels best for you!
1. Find an event on campus you actually want to go to, and go. I don’t mean going to a speaker for extra credit or a football game just because all your friends are going (although these both have their own merits), but checking out things that YOU are interested in. Your campus has so much to offer, so take advantage of it!
2. Go somewhere with your friends, whether it’s your favorite cafe, a park, or anywhere else you can relax. Put away your homework, your emails, and everything else you need to do and just be with them. Talk about things that make you happy, things you’ve been thinking about, or things you need to get off your chest. Even if it’s just for an hour, you will feel so much better afterwards.
3. Do your favorite physical activity and truly appreciate how it makes your body feel. Although I go to the gym as often as I can, I make sure to never miss yoga because I love how relaxed I feel after. Find your own thing and do it for yourself.
4. Read a book, watch some Netflix, nap, etc. You deserve a break. (Just make sure you don’t go too hard and realize you watched the first four seasons of “Friends” and didn’t study for your History midterm).
5. If you truly don’t have time to pause, take a moment to reflect on how far you’ve come and the awesome things you’re doing. Just remind yourself that you are super strong, because giving yourself a mental hug goes a long way.
*All photos courtesy of author