—As told by some hilarious female role-models
Did you enter into this school year bright-eyed and eager to see what this semester would hold? Yeah, me too… until a “shiny-fresh-start” quickly turned to a “slap-in-the-face-reality-check.” September slump got ya down? You’re not alone; many college students are faced with the unfortunate truth that just because the school year starts, doesn’t mean real life troubles stop. The good news is that September is over just in time to break yourself out of this slump. We at HerCampusNEU have compiled a few techniques that will keep the rest of your year from following this destructive pattern. And just to drive the point even farther, we’ve accompanied this list with some quotes from 3 hilarious yet inspirational women.
1. Send positive Karma
Whether you believe in the spiritual powers of Karma or not, it works. Yes, I can’t promise that by doing nice things for others you’ll automatically win the lottery or ace your history exam. However, brightening other’s day works in a three-fold manner. First: focusing on someone else’s problem will make you realize that you’re not the only one going through stuff and will thus pull you out of your own head for a little bit. Second: Helping others makes us feel good about ourselves. Sounds selfish, but it’s human nature. Third: We radiate off of other’s attitudes, so if you’re surrounded by positivity you’re more likely to feel positive (and vice-versa). Therefore brightening other people’s days will brighten your own in return.
2. New (or old) Hobbies
Maybe you thought this semester was going to bring you something new and exciting. If you’re an upperclassmen, then this typically isn’t reality though. Usually starting the fall semester is just returning to the same routine, so it’s quite possible that your “slump” is due to the continuation of a monotonous schedule. That means it’s time for you to pick up a new hobby: Try something you’ve always wanted to try but never had the motivation before. Take a non-academic class around Boston and meet people outside of your social circle. Can’t think of anything? Maybe you’ve dropped one of your old hobbies that you can pick up again. It’s common to lose time for activities you love, so forcing yourself to get back into it can invoke that passion you once had.
3. Mutual support
This goes hand-in-hand with karma. It’s easy to forget how great your friends are when you’re in a spiral of misery. When we’re going through personal troubles, we tend to cut ourselves off from the ones that care the most. Give your friends a chance to curate some good-karma, aka give them a chance to help you out! If they are good friends you’ll create a mutual support for each other and can help each other through both of your slump. Going through a tough time will also show you how great your friends really are, thus giving you something to appreciate.
4. Look to Role Models
Why else would I have included photos of my favorite female role models? It’s easy to get down on yourself, so when you’re having trouble reminding yourself why your great… look towards people you think are great. Figure out why you love them so much, then channel those qualities and use their words of wisdom as mantras to get you through the day. Also realizing that your role models too are human, so it’s okay to be flawed.
5. Make time for yourself.
Just like finding a hobby your’re passionate about, this one is all about you. With a calendar full of school, work, and social commitments it’s easy to lose sight of what you really need. Though it’s not productive, sometimes you need a Netflix-bing day, a leisurely walk, a splurge at your favorite restaurant for no reason at all… and sometimes you need to do it all by yourself. Schedule a solo-date and learn a little bit about what makes you happy. Turn off your social media and phone, so you’re not tempted to hit-up a friend, and commit to some much-needed “me-time.” Think you hate hanging out alone or have a serious case of FOMO, I promise pampering focusing on you for a day won’t mean you’ll never see your friends again. They’ll be there tomorrow, and you’ll be in a much better state of mind.