I feel like everyone is somewhat familiar with the dreaded Sunday scaries. For me, the Sunday scaries felt like a constant presence when I was in high school. The work that I pushed off to the side earlier in the weekend would always come back to haunt me on Sunday afternoon. Yet, at the end of the day, I’d end my Sundays in high school in my queen sized bed, stomach full from a home cooked meal. As I currently write this from my lofted bed in my less than spacious triple, I would trade the Sunday scaries of my high school with my college Sunday scaries in a heartbeat.Â
Now that I’m living away from home for the first time ever, my Sunday scaries have become all the more scary. I’ve noticed that Sundays are the days that I feel the most homesick. There are no classes or plans to go out that normally structure my weekday and weekends. All that looms ahead of me on Sundays is work, work, and more work. Conditions like these, when you are feeling stressed and maybe a little isolated, are prime for the scaries to attack. This past Sunday, I had my first scaries freakout in college. I cried, called my mom, rethought every decision I’ve ever made, the whole nine yards. Despite my meltdown, at the end of the day, the world kept spinning and everything was just fine. While the Sunday scaries are unfortunately inevitable, I figured I would share some things that help me combat it or regroup afterwards.Â
- Go outside!
- This might be just me, but going outside is a good reminder that whatever I’m losing my mind over is really not that deep at the end of the day. My life exists outside of Dinand’s tiny study rooms and the classrooms of Stein and Haberlin. Additionally, it’s beautiful outside. Now that we are in fall, let the autumn foliage or Halloween decorations of nearby off-campus houses take your mind off the scaries. If you’re looking to get off-off campus, try an Outdoors Club event! On one of the first weekends here, I spent a Sunday afternoon walking around a nearby reservoir with the Outdoors Club. The time spent outdoors and not cooped up inside a library was refreshing and exactly what I needed.Â
- Move your body!
- This ties a little bit into my prior point. Why only go outside or move your body when you can do both at the same time! I like to walk or run off campus to clear my mind and get some exercise. Personally, I will without a doubt always feel better after exercising.Â
- Add structure to your Sunday!
- Like I said earlier, I am the type of person that enjoys structure and being busy. When I have bounds of free time, I can feel lost as to what to do and where to begin. I’ve found that having activities on Sundays helps me break up my day better. I am a part of Unified Sports, which conveniently meets on Sunday mornings. I also go to mass on Sunday nights, which adds another thing to my schedule. By blocking off these points in the day for my activities and personal matters, I can designate my free time as time to work and be productive.Â
- Talk or write the scaries away!
- I find that talking with someone or writing my thoughts down always puts things in perspective. When I journal and read back what I wrote at a later time, I realize how my worries then were so small and insignificant in the long run. Writing or talking with a family member or friend is perfect for grounding me and bringing me back down from my scaries spiral.Â
It’s important to remember that there is no cure for the Sunday scaries, at least not yet. They are bound to happen to all of us at some point, regardless of preparation or circumstance. While these suggestions are by no means the only strategies or tactics, they help me and I hope they help you too!