Summer is over, our skin is burnt and damaged and here we are, sitting in our dorms, campus houses and apartments, being forced to enter the pits of hell each and every day (too dramatic?). I don’t know about you guys, but that was the QUICKEST summer yet, and I am QUITE angry that Mizzou had the audacity to ask us to leave our happy and fun-filled summers to return back to exams and classes. Nevertheless, we are back to reality and we are all having to mentally, physically and emotionally prepare for this upcoming year. That is why I am making the “Olivia Johnson’s Guide to YOUR Hot Girl School Year” – **shipping and fees may vary**.
To be completely honest, I am super nervous for this year. I am nervous to be in my fourth semester of a foreign language that I don’t understand and hadn’t practiced in three months. I am nervous to endure another semester of general education requirements that have nothing to do with my major. And finally, I am the most nervous to return to a civilization of people who actually worked on achieving a “hot girl summer,” while I sat on my couch and enjoyed my ninth cup of coffee to stay up and watch eight straight hours of Outer Banks season two.
Anyway, that is beside the point…
Lately, I have been thinking about what I think would make a good topic for my next article, and when this one popped into my mind, I couldn’t let it go. Now, myself and all of you are going to change the limitations of “hot girl summer” and we are going to make it a year-round thing, baby! So, hold on to your backpacks, and let’s discuss the first steps we will take to get our hot girl school year started! First things first…
ORGANIZATION/COMPARTMENTALIZATION
You cannot effectively have a hot-girl school year if you do not prepare yourself for the future or organize your past. Now, what I mean by this is you not only have to organize the tangible items in your life, but you must also organize the emotional/mental areas of your life. Learning to compartmentalize and not overwhelm yourself with your stressors or your workload can help you find success. So, the way you can effectively do this is through accessing your organizational resources that can aid in decluttering your internal and external environment. These resources may include:
Organization:
- Folders/binders
- Legible and neat notes
- Planners/calendars
- Desk organization tools and bins
- Filing cabinets
- Sticky notes/reminders placed in highly trafficked areas around the home
- Reminders/calendar app on the iPhone
Compartmentalization:
- Meditation/prayer
- Talking and venting to trusted individuals
- Hobbies and travel
- Alone time and/or social time (depending on who you are and which one you value more)
- Change in environment or routine
- Reflection on past, present and future self
PHYSICAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Like I mentioned previously, your physical surroundings are vital to ensuring that you feel settled and refreshed for the upcoming year. But, physical surroundings don’t always have to represent a thing; they can represent you, your body and your physical health. I am sure that many of you have heard a thousand times about the importance of physical health on your overall mental and emotional state, but physical health is so much more than just exercise. Some things that you can do to ensure your physical well-being is:
- Stretching
- Eating a well-balanced diet and treating yourself to the things you crave
- Resting, as well as listening to your body when it is tired and getting the recommended amount of sleep you need and deserve
- Going on walks and getting Vitamin-D (this personally makes me more happy, energetic and productive)
- Keeping up with personal hygiene and spacial hygiene (making sure you are taking care of your body and your living space)
FIND THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY AND KEEP YOU SANE
This, in my opinion, is the most important step in achieving your “hot girl school year.” Yes, you can buy some folders and sticky notes and organize your homework. Yes, you can take a shower and clean your room. All of those things are very important. But, they are not the biggest necessities in achieving this goal. The biggest thing you need to do is ask yourself, “Do the things in my life bring me joy?” This is something that I encourage you all to look into. Are you doing things that ultimately make you happy? If your answer is “no,” then you might be doing something wrong and you need to find something that you can say “yes” to. I tend to not give myself a break or find the enjoyment in the things I have to do for school. But lately, I have been prioritizing the things that make me happy with who I am and who I will become. If you are in search of something that will bring you peace and fulfillment outside of school, then I recommend:
- Finding a good movie, show or documentary that holds your interest and makes you excited to finish your work to go and watch it.
- Meet people. I know that this is easier said than done, especially in the age of COVID, but going out of your way to make new friends and trying to learn from others is very fulfilling. This can help you grow and will give you an excuse to escape the your Canvas dashboard for a little while.
- Find out what your favorite hobby is and capitalize on it. If it’s music, then find a local concert to attend. If it is art, then go out and buy yourself some supplies and paint, draw or sculpt until your mind is clear. If it’s sports, then join a recreational team on campus meet a variety of new people.
I hope that all of you consider implementing some of these tips into your lives. I am not an expert on mental or physical health. I’m not the most organized person and, really, I don’t compartmentalize anything well. But, I am trying and I will continue to try because I want to have a healthy, stable, confident and prepared school year. There is no right or wrong answer to how you are supposed to do things. But, these are just a few things that I thought would make your lives easier and more tolerable. Now, get out there and continue being the hot girl you have always been! Good luck this semester from myself and the Her Campus Mizzou team.