It’s easy to see that overall morale on campus seems to be down. And there’s good reason for it! We still have a few more weeks until Thanksgiving break, the weather is starting to be gross and gloomy more and more, and professors are assigning more and more work for all of us. Here are six things I try to do during this time of year to make life a little brighter- maybe one of them will help you, too!
- Study in an Art Building Instead of the Library
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For me, changing up my routine is very important. I seem to find myself in a creative rut when I’m in one place, or one routine for too long. Usually, I study in the library, but occasionally I need to study somewhere else. There’s a student lounge in the art building I like, and there’s also a room that’s painted almost entirely yellow that kind of just radiates sunshine. When I need a break from the first floor of the library, I’ll go there instead.
- Listen to New Music
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I have one playlist of songs on repeat most of the time – songs I’m just liking at the moment. Sometimes finding new music I haven’t heard before breaks me out of the same old same old that I get stuck in this time during the semester and switching it up and listening to different genres of music, or my friends’ playlists helps too!
- Wear An Outfit I Feel Confident In
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I know this doesn’t work for everyone, but even something as simple as wearing jeans instead of leggings steps it up just a notch and makes me feel like a whole person again. Going all out with a cute outfit makes me feel as though I have at least one aspect of my life together and increases the chances that I’ll not sit at home all day being unproductive.
- Throw a Dance Party For One
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This is easily the most embarrassing thing on this list, but I don’t care, because this might be the biggest fix for a bad day for me. The type of music I listen to changes, but most of the time, I turn on oldies– music from the 60s and 70s that my parents played around me when I was little. The comfort of familiar music is a little like a breath of fresh air, and dancing is something that always cheers me up.
- Do Something That Isn’t School
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Time permitting, of course. Sometimes this isn’t always an option. Sometimes I really just need to get things done. But there’s times when I need to go to a campus event or go out to eat with a friend for dinner. Sometimes throwing yourself into something else can allow me to come back to my responsibilities later with a fresher mind.
- Recognize There Is So Much More That I Can Control
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Usually at this point in the semester, I feel like things are spinning out of control. I’m overwhelmed and exhausted by my responsibilities. I feel this way more often as a junior than I ever have before. I have to remember that there are two big things that I can control: my level of effort and my attitude towards life. Keeping a positive attitude is the thing I have the most trouble with, and I’m by no means a master at this. There are days that are easier than others, and there are days when I can’t seem to find any joy at all. So by no means is this easy, but it’s helpful to keep this in mind on those rough days.