Photo by Ethan Middleton, The Daily Helmsman staff photographer
As we all know, the spring semester can catch up really quick. Before you know it, the semester will be gone with the snap of a finger. Therefore, it only takes a few bad grades or bad times to make this semester a terrible one. But there’s no need to fear – POSITIVE ACTS are here!
I have searched and searched for the best daily or weekly positive blogs and I found The Positivity Blog by Henrik Edberg is best. The Positivity Blog is full of positive and motivational tactics to lift your day. I found a few positive actions that are helpful in making your semester hot!
Positive Act #1: Start your day off with a smile!
As Henrik said, “Smiling gives you a boost of happiness. By making yourself smile, no matter how you feel, your body will start releasing all those wonderful chemicals that makes you feel happy.” And if you just can’t seem to smile, fake it till’ you make it! If you fake your smile for 30 seconds, I guarantee you that you will genuinely smile.
Positive Act #2: Appreciate the small things
Appreciate the weather, whether it’s too hot, too cold, or even too wet as you walk to classes. Appreciate the ramen noodles and the macaroni bowls you have packed in your almost empty fridge. Also, appreciate that 8-10 page paper that’s due in two weeks—because it could be due tomorrow! These little things are the stress initiators that makes us not want to go to class. Henrik stated, “…It’s great to try to change your mind set to one where you appreciate the things in your everyday life instead of taking them for granted.”
Positive Act #3: Relax
Relax! You don’t have all the answers, and no one is going to tell you. In life, not just college, you will worry about the small things that won’t matter in the next few months, or even two years from now. I admit that I have crazy anxiety attacks about my coffee spilling over my paper during a hectic day when I could just really reprint it. Times like this, I just breathe and say, “There is a solution that I can make to this,” and then I move on.
Positive Act #4: Don’t blame or complain…Just Fix it!
Fixing the problem right off the bat will save you in a long run than blaming and complaining about those lousy lazy group partners of yours.
Positive Act #5: Have some FUN!
This semester wouldn’t be fun if you didn’t spend some nights with your “besties”! Here are some ideas to relieve some stress with friends:
· Go to the Games! Whether you are cheering for your school or your city, the excitement eases the struggle of that exam you have in a few days.
· On-campus activities! If you don’t have a car, it is always good to take a break from studying and go to movie night your RA or student activities council planned. Who knows-you might meet a study buddy!
· Coffee Shops! If you want to just get out the residence hall, coffee shops are the best spots to get out and study. I don’t recommend doughnut shops because by the time the store close, you’ll have eaten a dozen!
· Food! Go out to eat or take a snack break with your friends. A break from researching on a laptop for hours is better than nothing. You’ve deserved it!
· Dance! Dance like no one is watching! Because there is nothing more fun than dancing in your dorm room and singing songs from Anne. The sun will come out tomorrow, and it will be when you finish your group project, when you finish your speech in class, and when you turn in your paper all in the same day!
Positive Act #6: Find Out What Makes You Happy To Balance Everything
You have just had a really crappy day! The hot guy you like didn’t wave at you this morning, you find out the paper you worked hard on didn’t receive the grade you thought it would, and you had leadership activities and meetings all day! What do you do? You play your clarinet. You write down your emotions in a coffee shop. You do yoga. Whatever it is that eases your stress, do it-and you won’t be tense anymore.
These are just a few of the actions you can do to make this semester a winner. Henrik wanted to let people know that even though you might not be able to be positive all the time, learn to let go of negative thoughts before they have a chance to take hold of you. Sometimes, your positive attitude can cause the results of a situation to be more positive than you think. So take control of your mind! It more powerful than you think!