We all know that school takes over our lives as college students very easily. Our time is taken up with readings for class, exam preparation, trying to make money at a job, finding time to sleep and work out, taking good notes, and staying sane. How does one balance it all? Taking days for ourselves is easily a great option for remembering who we are and to recharge our batteries. There are so many ways to make these days worth our while, but here are a few of my favorite.
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Take a nap
Naps are an amazing thing that we are told are only allowed for little kids. The older you get, however, the later you stay up at night and the more emotionally draining occurrences happen during the day. There is never anything wrong with taking a nap, even on days that aren’t just for you, because it is a quick and easy way to recharge yourself so you can make it through your day.
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Watch a movie
Netflix marathon of “Friends” or “How I Met Your Mother”, finding new movies to enjoy based on your favorite genre, or even just watching something new is a great way to enjoy and spend the day. Watching by yourself or with friends is always up to you depending on your mental health and what will best help you, but make sure it is what will provide you support and time to relax. If you want to get off campus, there are plenty of new movies that have been released, or will be soon, including “Love, Simon”, “Black Panther”, “Midnight Sun”, “Unsane”, “The Miracle Season”, “Avengers: Infinity War”, and, of course, “The Incredibles 2”.
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Read a new book
I love my books. They always help to take me into a new world where I don’t have to worry about my own problems and the things that are bothering me, so maybe it can help you as well. You can either read books you already have, download an E-Book on your computer or your tablets, you can visit a library, or even find an old book store in the area for some cheap reads. Check out this Esquire link to find what the top ten books of 2018 are this far.
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Go for a walk
Going for a walk is always a good idea because being able to absorb some sunlight can help lift your spirits and make you feel fresh! My favorite is to go for a walk with my dogs or with my siblings because it gives us time to talk about things that are going on in life. Check out the local parks near your house to find some new hiking/walking trails, some new places to walk, or even find somewhere that is animal friendly so you can bring your pups along for the “ride”.
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Tea time!
Now we are NOT talking about English tea time, however, we are talking about drinking tea when you can. Starting your morning with a cup of tea has multiple benefits that a LifeHack article describes including the following→ providing hydration while still providing the warmth that you love from a cup of coffee, has the same amount of caffeine to keep you going as coffee with a lower depressing effect (the reduction of energy levels kind of depression), lots of antioxidants, can help reduce stress, and is a great immunity boost. Another great fact about tea is that you can drink different teas to help based on your different moods. Check out this blog to see what tea to drink based on how you’re feeling!
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Color a picture
This is no longer an activity for only preschoolers and kindergarteners! Yes! You, as a college student, soon to be complete adult, can now purchase adult coloring books at a store near you! If you don’t want to leave your house though, feel free to check them out on Amazon. These books can be as detail oriented (or not) as you wish and can feature animals, book characters, movie shots, and “word art”.
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Watch funny videos on YouTube
What can go wrong with watching funny videos on YouTube? Finding videos of cute puppies! But there’s nothing wrong with that… ANYWAYS! YouTube is one of my favorite apps to look at when I’m in a down mood or just need some uplifting videos in my day. Enjoy memes, past vines, peoples ridiculous mistakes, and some other strange corners of the Internet that I have yet to explore.
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Play happy music
While this isn’t something that should be much thought, for some people it has to be. Find the latest happy playlist on YouTube, Spotify, or Pandora to find songs that are completely empowering, uplifting, and easy to dance to. Anything that will make you sing along, jump on the bed, and lose control (in a fun way) is the best kind of music there is. Make sure these songs have positive meaning so they aren’t sad songs that are upbeat or else you might get into a slump even if it is happy sounding music.