This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Manhattan chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
As I am nearing the end of my third year in Manhattan, I think I have finally mastered the art of romanticizing my life. I have my Sabrina Carpenter calendar full of pen marks to prove it! As a girls girl, I will never leave anyone to struggle alone. Here are my tips to help you romanticize your spring semester!
- Make a Playlist
- Making and putting on a playlist full of songs that make you want to dance is a good way to start your day. We all know how hard it is to get up from bed and go to class, sometimes some good music is the little push we need. Music can self-consciously motivate us to romanticize our lives.
- Get Ready: make-up, outfit, hair, etc.
- When you look good, you feel good. I believe this statement is true. Doing my makeup is my favorite part of the day for multiple reasons. It gives me a sense of self in a world of sweatpants and hoodies. I’m not saying it’s not okay to wear that; it just gives me a sense of responsibility for my appearance, a way of making sure I don’t feed into my depression and laziness.
- Make your bed: clean up your space
- I know your bed is going to get unmade again in a couple of hours when you take that in-between-class nap, but I swear this will make you feel much more productive. Having a clean space can prevent you from feeling overstimulated. It also helps stop cleaning from being ‘one more thing you have to do’ on top of school work and social life.
- Self-care routines
- Taking care of yourself is important and having a set routine can make you feel calm and relaxed. There’s no chaos in stressing over making time for yourself and taking care your skin since you already have a set time aside for that.
- Engaging in Education: Participate in your classes, talk to your classmates, etc.
- Throughout my three years in Manhattan, I realized that I enjoy class much more when I know what I’m talking about. As people, we love to talk. Talking to others, especially about things you are passionate about, can help grow your education and keep you awake in class. It gives you something to look forward to during each class.
- Fill your calendar: Spontaneous adventures, planned adventures, coffee dates, sightseeing, etc.
- Get out in the world! You have to remember that you only live once and college only lasts so long. You want to be able to look back and smile at your time during college because after, only the memories are left. It’s okay to say no even now and then, but saying yes will make you happy in the moment and in the future. There is little time to overthink and feel sad.
- “Ugly” days: Not every day has to be an aesthetic or a good one
- Not every day is going to be a good day. You have to accept that sometimes you need to wear comfortable clothes and eat ice cream while watching your favorite 2000s TV show. Give yourself room and time to recharge.
- Romanticize your food: It’s hard, but create new eating habits, creations, etc.
- I’m not much of a picky eater, but I still find it hard to eat without spending money. Life hacks and meal deals are your best friend! I love to try different food combinations in the dining hall and download food apps that can collect points for different deals. Now I’m able to get the Sabrina Carpenter brown shaken espresso every day for $3.00 after 12 pm at Dunkin!
- Pick up a hobby: TV show, reading, writing, sewing, etc.
- It’s easy to feel useless and unspecial. Picking up a hobby that you do consistently can help you relax and express yourself. For example, I have different hobbies for different things. I love to write when I’m feeling emotions in order to clear my mind, but I also love to sew when I’m bored and need to focus my mind.
- Mental health care: Journal, therapy, etc.
- School, work, and social life can be overwhelming at times, but you have to remember to put yourself first. It’s okay to skip a class or two to take care of yourself. Don’t be scared to be selfish at times. Only you know what you need.