We’ve all had those days where we just feel like nothing has gone right. Your alarm does not go off, so you sleep in and end up missing your first class. All the hot water is gone when you finally get into the shower, you end up having a bad hair day, and when you go to your afternoon calculus class, you find out that you failed an exam. Just when you think the day could not get any worse, your roommate accuses you of going through her belongings, causing an argument that leaves you in tears. By time the day comes to a close, you feel stupid, weak, and just can not imagine why anyone would be your friend because of how bad of a person you are.
All of us have had days where we get down on ourselves and just want to hide under the covers until a new day comes. Staying in bed, watching comedies and sappy love movies, and eating chocolate doesn’t sound like such a bad idea, right? The problem is when wasting the day away goes from one day every once in a while to every other day.
As I had said before, my roommate and I had had some trouble this year. I had been under the impression that my roommate wanted me to be friends with her friends, but as the year progressed I felt more and more left out. After a while, the feeling built up so much that my roommate and I got into an argument, and everything about me that she did not like came out and I was pushed into a corner.
By the end of it, I felt like a horrible roommate and friend: I felt like I was too noisy, asking questions about my roommate’s day. I felt like I was a mean person because there were jokes I had made that had insulted her, and I felt like I had overstepped the boundaries, letting my boyfriend come back to the room during the week to work on homework with me, and letting him kiss me while my roommate was in the room.
By the end of the argument, I felt like an inconsiderate roommate. I felt weak because I had let her trap me, and I wondered why any person would want to be my friend because of how rude and insulting I supposedly was. I ate up every word my roommate spat out at me, and lost any self-confidence that I had about myself.
Finally, I had to ask myself, do I let this girl tear me down, or do I take action and start feeling better about myself?
No girl should ever feel this torn down by another girl. You should never let someone else dictate how you feel about yourself.
So I took back control.
I considered my roommates feelings and made sure my boyfriend did not come to the room too often. I turned to the counseling center for guidance and help, and got my RA involved. I moved out of my room, and was able to find a place to live next year that is far away from ex-roommate and her friends. I cut myself off from this unhealthy situation, and gave myself a fresh start because I deserved it.
Although I still feel down sometimes and feel guilty for the things I did wrong, I make it a point of continuously reminding myself that it takes two to build a successful relationship, and I have friends, family, and a boyfriend who love me for me and support me.
When someone in your life brings you down, ask yourself: Why do they have the right to judge me like that? If you have made a mistake, learn from it. But if someone tries to drag you down with rumors that are not true, do something to fight it. Look at a picture of someone who is there for you everyday. Make a list of things that you are proud of yourself for: accomplishments, or personal traits that you are proud of.
If those things don’t work, distract yourself by reading a favorite book, watching a movie, or going for a run. When I feel down on myself, I go to the gym and play soccer or workout. This physical activity always makes me feel better about myself, and let’s me examine the situation with a fresh pair of eyes.
To sum up, do something that reminds you how great you are. There will always be people out there who try to bring you down, but getting up each time you get knocked down only makes you stronger!
Fun fact: The first contest I ever won was a coloring contest during Easter. I colored a bunny in the colors of the rainbow, and won a large stuffed bunny that I still have in my bedroom back home!
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Miami (OH) chapter.