With the start of springtime comes all sorts of changes and occasions. There’s spring cleaning, spring break trips, new sorority members, all things big/little, weather adjustments, midterm grades, the stress of final grades looming, piled up roommate tension, summer internship commitment time, and a million other things to add to the list of typical college stressors. A lot of people love springtime, but for me, it can be a pretty overwhelming time of the year. For that reason, I associate this season with a yearly rut. I know I am definitely not alone on this one because I see all my friends and roommates as stressed as I am right now. I swear the spring slump is marked on the calendar of all the forces of the universe. It’s as if the universe says, “Oh hey pretty weather, green leaves, sunny days! Let’s start some shit!”
As you can tell, I take this attack to heart and have decided that this year I will not be letting the slump get to me, or you, like it usually does. In order to save us from this cosmic b***h slap, I have a list of four lifestyle changes you can easily make to get yourself out of the spring slump:
-
Let’s get that body moving!
-
Do yourself a favor and go get the $10 gym membership at your local Planet Fitness. I can’t even explain how good it feels to get a workout in on a hectic spring day. I am by no means a gym rat, and I know how hard it can be to get your butt out of bed and to the gym, but this little lifestyle change is a total game changer! Going to the gym has been a such lifesaver for me this spring that has helped me get out of my spring slump. It makes me feel motivated and it gets those endorphins pumping. This helps keep me in a positive mindset, so no matter what the universe throws at me, I am ready to take it on head first. Having a gym buddy also helps to get the gym ball rolling, so text your friends, look up your nearest gym, and get your gym party started!
-
-
Reflection time!
-
Revamping your spirituality is, in my opinion, an essential part of putting your big girl pants on. Taking the time to heal your mind and get it in tune with your body is a daunting task, but once you take the time to do it, you’ll feel a million times better. The springtime for me is always the busiest time of year and this can put me into spirals of stress and anxiety. By taking the time to meditate, reflect, manifest, and journal, I can take back control of my emotions and put myself back on a healing path. I recommend getting yourself a cute journal and oil diffuser to set the tone, and just setting aside some time in your day to breathe and write down the mess of feelings going on in your head. It might seem silly, but putting your thoughts down on paper can help you work through them and start on a path to letting go of that stress and anxiety.
-
-
Fake it till you make it!
-
Part of the spring slump for me has always been that adjustment into spring clothes, which ultimately means less clothes. No more sweatpants, it’s biker shorts season! I love biker shorts as much as the next Pinterest-addicted college girl, but having my legs out after months of leggings, jeans, and sweatpants can take a little getting used to. Woah, and we can’t forget about bikini shopping for beach trips after months of heavy winter food! It can all be a lot to adjust to, and for years, it’s always been an uncomfortable adjustment for me. But, college has shown me how beautiful and confident we also all can be! As long as you tell yourself that you’re confident and you put that extra energy into your stride, you are going to give off that powerful confident energy you admire in all the fashion bloggers you follow on Instagram! No one knows your internal dialogue but yourself, so that’s really where the ‘fake it till you make it’ part comes in! A bikini body is just a body in a bikini, and as long as you’re taking care of your body with love and nourishment, you’ll feel strong and ready to take on the world! Obviously faking body confidence is easier said than done, but just telling yourself you’re beautiful and worthy every single day makes a huge difference long term. Camille Kostek gave an awesome outlook on feeling confident in her own skin during her Sport’s Illustrated Swimsuit shoot!
-
-
Creative Projects!
-
Fun creative outlets are extremely important for maintaining good mental health because they help create balance. They give you an activity to focus on that requires no stress or judgment. In my opinion, creative projects are one of the best things you can do with your time on stress and anxiety-ridden days. My roommates and I love having little painting parties because they give us some great bonding time as we all just mess around with paint and canvases and see what fun ideas we can all come up with. Her Campus, for me, is a creative outlet as well because it gives me the opportunity to block in some creative writing time that I usually do not get in my day-to-day classes at school. Some other fun ideas for creative projects you could try out are creating a fun lifestyle Instagram account, or go thrift shopping and try to flip some of the clothes you buy.
-
I hope these techniques that have saved me from the slump this year help you on your journey to a more positive and balanced lifestyle!