“Sundays are a college student’s last attempt to recharge, only to realize Monday is already knocking at the door.“
From sleeping in and self-care to last-minute assignment panic, here’s a relatable take on how college students spend their Sundays—filled with good intentions and inevitable procrastination
Sundays hold a special place in the life of a college student. A Sunday perfectly lies between a tired Saturday and a dreadful Monday. For college students, it is the day we plan for the most but end up doing almost nothing. It is a blend of chaos, relaxation, and the hope of achieving goals set aside throughout the week. It’s the one day that gives students a brief escape from their academic struggles, a chance to reset, and an opportunity to catch up on everything that was neglected during the week. Let’s dive into a fun journey through a typical Sunday in a college student’s life:
The Clash with the Clock
The enemy of every college student—the alarm clock—starts ringing at 7:00 a.m. I swear it is the most annoying sound I could ever hear in the morning. Almost dead from the past week’s workload, you want nothing but peaceful sleep. You hit snooze just to have five more minutes, not realizing when those five minutes turn into 20, then 40, and then a few more hours. Waking up is a real struggle when you have to say goodbye to your cosy bed and warm blanket.
One Sunday, I was so determined to wake up early and be productive that I set five alarms. Guess what? I snoozed all of them and finally woke up at noon.
The Hunger Battle
When you finally get out of bed and freshen up, you are greeted with no breakfast. Living in a PG or a hostel, you need to wake up according to the mess timing, or you can treat yourself with whatever suits you. I instantly search for some coffee to fuel myself and then let my stomach growl until lunch is ready. The lack of food adds to the laziness, making it feel like even basic self-care requires immense effort.
Some Self-Care
Sundays are when I take some time to care for myself. Dragging myself to the shower, I suddenly feel like today might just be the day I turn my life around. I hop in the shower, spending almost an hour bathing, as if I’ll walk out looking like a Bollywood actress. I do some skincare, and haircare, and then spend a good five minutes admiring myself in the mirror.
Once, I decided to try a DIY hair mask I saw on Instagram. It promised silky, salon-like hair. Instead, I spent the next 20 minutes struggling to wash out the egg and yoghurt mixture from my curls, regretting every life decision that led me to that moment.
The Illusion of Productivity
The “I’ll get my life together” phase starts when half the day is already gone. You make your bed, declutter your space, and make your room look good—at least once a week. You sit with your books and laptop, determined to create a schedule for the day. But just as you figure out where to start, your phone buzzes, and suddenly, you’re scrolling through text messages and reacting to Instagram reels your friends sent you.
The Social Hour
The evening marks the start of the social hour. I make it a weekly ritual to call my long-lost relatives and family members—not just to check in but also to offload a week’s worth of thoughts and stories.
Sometimes, it’s a trip to a café with friends or just a walk around campus with my roommate. Living in Kamla Nagar is both a blessing and a curse. It’s incredibly convenient—I can step out for a walk and find everything I need within minutes. But before I know it, those “few minutes” turn into two hours of aimless wandering, window-shopping, and an empty wallet.
The Face-Off with Reality
This is the moment when reality smacks you in the face. You suddenly remember all the presentations and assignments you’ve been ignoring all week. As you glance at the clock, panic sets in. You jump onto your study table, textbooks and laptop in front of you, ready to tackle your backlog. You call your friends—either for help or just for moral support because they’re in the same boat as you.
There was this one Sunday when my friends and I collectively decided to start our assignments at 10 p.m. By midnight, we were still on the first page, complaining about how much work we had left. Teamwork at its finest!
Dinner with a Side of Guilt
You sit down for dinner, hoping to enjoy your meal, but all you can think about is your unfinished work. The guilt of sleeping in too long or wasting time on your phone makes your heart race. Stuffing your mouth as fast as possible and choking on a glass of water, you rush back to your study table with renewed dedication and commitment.
Reflection and Relaxation
With most of your work done—or at least enough to survive Monday—you set everything aside and promise yourself that next Sunday will be more organized. You scroll through Instagram reels one last time before getting into bed. Inevitably, you come across a meme about procrastination and laugh at how painfully relatable it is.
The Late-Night Thoughts
As you lie in bed, you replay moments spent with your friends at the café or contemplate whether the shirt you impulsively bought was worth the money. You miss your family and feel the urge to go home. You rethink your life choices, and future plans, and mentally prepare yourself for the week ahead.
And that’s how the long-awaited Sunday of a college student comes to an end. The day that started with grand plans for self-care, catching up on sleep, and completing assignments disappears in a blur. Quick social media scrolls stretch into hours, and that “short” hangout with friends turns into an entire evening event.
But hey, next Sunday will be different, right? Next Sunday, I will finish everything before midnight. (Or at least, that’s what I tell myself.)