At the end of every fun weekend with your friends, the absolutely dreaded Sunday morning always makes its return. Every Saturday night, you can’t help but say a little prayer that this Sunday will be different; that this time you’ll somehow have your life together and be prepared for the school week. But it never seems to happen that way. I always seem to wake up at a shameful hour. So late that I tend to wish my roommates a good afternoon instead of a good morning. I then find any method to procrastinate doing homework. And I mean anything. You’ll find me vacuuming my apartment for the third time that day before I open a textbook. Those little prayers Saturday night never seem to work, but there are a few tricks to conquer those dreaded Sunday Scaries.
Do some of your work load on Friday. And before you tell me I sound like that really uncool mom, I’ll admit that I already know I do. It’s painful to hear but it’s true. By doing just a little bit of work on Friday after class, you have eliminated a whole chunk of homework that you no longer have to dread on Sunday when you wake up. For most students, we already have at least one class on Friday, so we are already in the school mindset. On your way home from class, stop by your favorite study spot and do one hour of work. It doesn’t have to be a super hard assignment, but even reading 20 pages of your History textbook can clear a huge chunk of time on Sunday.
Set aside an hour for self care. When I say self care, I don’t mean your normal hygiene routine. Sundays can feel daunting and never ending. By giving yourself an hour to pamper yourself, you are allowing your brain time to rest and recharge. Light a few candles and put on a face mask. Or if you’re someone who gets their nails done, make your appointment for a Sunday. Even just grabbing yourself a bowl of ice cream and turning on an episode of your favorite show can instantly make your Sundays feel less scary.
Write down all of the things you need to do. I know this list will feel long and stressful to look at, but you’ll never be able to focus on one assignment if you’re constantly thinking about everything else you need to complete. You’ll be halfway through a lab write up when you remember that you needed to finish your Math homework. Or, even worse, you wake up at 4am Monday morning with the realization that you missed an assignment. Save yourself the stress on Sunday and make a list. Write the due date for each assignment next to it so you can prioritize each item. The list will let your mind focus on the work that needs to be done instead of being overwhelmed by a cluster of assignments.
The most important thing to remember is to enjoy your Sundays. We are only in college for four years and if you spend every Sunday crying in the library, you won’t enjoy your time–trust me. Surround yourself with your friends and don’t completely stress yourself out with work. Sundays don’t have to be so scary; and remember, the weekend is only five days away.