simple, easy, relaxing
- Exercising (30 minutes to an hour, nothing too intense)
Since this is my last semester (!!!), I’m taking advantage of access to a gym that is (a) friendly, (b) clean, and (c) not far from my home. One major benefit of working out is having an outlet specifically dedicated to taking care of my mind and body. I always walk out of the gym feeling a few inches taller.
- Making Bracelets
This activity is both affordable and relaxing. This started when I found a really cute bracelet making kit from Five Below to make Kandi for a music festival I went to in January. Flash forward a month later, I’m still making them! Walmart has big kits of beads as well as elastic string. It’s the perfect thing to do in-between assignments if you need a brain break, and they make great gifts for your loved ones!
- Reading Paperbacks
After spending so many semesters reading online, it’s nice to pick up a book and spend time with it. I really like the physical weight of a book in my hand and using a pen to annotate. I usually add little notes or drawings in the margins next to passages that resonate with me. Two genres I’ve branched out into are self-help books and poetry collections. Both are unique ways to reflect on yourself and how you view the world.
- Walking Outside
Whether its 40 degrees or 70 degrees outside, both are opportunities to get your body moving and ‘breathe in the air’ (an awesome Pink Floyd song). Not that we ever need a reason to go for a walk, but some of mine have been (a) taking a break from screens, (b) seeing cute dogs out on their walks, and (c) having a main character moment.
- Listening to Albums:
- In Rainbows by Radiohead
- to hell with it by PinkPantheress
- Nurture by Porter Robinson
- She Hangs Brightly by Mazzy Star
- Luv 4 Rent by Smino
- In Rainbows by Radiohead
- Keeping a Bullet Journal
I kept a bullet journal my sophomore year of college (I’m a senior now), and I forgot how much I liked it. It’s like having a planner and journal all in one. For someone who deals with anxiety, I can say it helps manage nervous feelings about getting through the week. You can write your assignments, create a design for the week, and add little notes or sketches about how your day is going. Not that planners aren’t great, but keeping a bullet journal feels more flexible (for me). I can visualize my days not just by what I need to get done (homework, class, internship, appointments), but also what I want to do for myself (workout, make art, write someone a letter, call my Grand-mom).
A piece of advice I’ll leave you with (that I’m trying to practice myself) is to find the human in everyone and everything. I found this suggestion in a book I was gifted, Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. Whatever being human means to you, live it truthfully and recognize it in the people around you. It adds beauty to every moment, every interaction, every loss, and every win.
HCXO, Aimee