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7 Life Hacks to Help You Celebrate Yourself

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.

Well, it’s that time of year again. A time when the sun begins to shine, daydreams of summertime fill our minds and completing the semester suddenly seems like an impossible feat. We’re with you, collegiettes. And when the stress of enjoying the rest of your year without sacrificing a decent GPA seems like too much to bear, we’ve got just what you need to survive it.

Celebrate yourself. 

Find a little time in your day to appreciate the little things and keep your eye on the prize. There are always things worth celebrating, and it’s your job to find them. Not sure where to start? Here are a few things you can do to help celebrate yourself.

1. Dance in the rain – boohoo

Let’s be real, when trudging across campus with nothing but naptime and Netflix on our minds, an unexpected downpour is almost guaranteed to piss off any collegiette almost instantly. Sadly, Mother Nature is one bad b*tch and challenging her power will only result in ultimate defeat. The solution? Embrace it. If you really think about it, a little rain here and there is a beautiful thing. It reminds you to appreciate the sunshine and, more than anything, learn to make the most of it. So break out your inner child, strap on your adorable boohoo poncho and choose to be happy. Besides, a little rain never hurt anyone.

2. Treat yo’ self 

At this point in the semester, this shouldn’t be too hard to do. We’ve sat through a semester and a half of endless lectures, survived PowerPoint presentations, public speeches, final papers, and countless job interviews. If you haven’t personally given yourself a pat on the back quite yet, now is the time, my friend. What better way to reward your valiant efforts than with a trip to the college student’s heaven on earth? That’s right, a land of perfectly wrapped burritos and glorious guacamole – the one, the only, Chipotle. So grab those discount cards and a few of your friends and follow the yellow brick road to the magical land of Chipotle.    

3. Create your own private gym

As much as we’ve loved waiting in line for treadmills and trekking across campus to accomplish our fitness goals, at this point in the game, we wouldn’t be opposed to a little change in our typical workout routine. In fact, with final exams just around the corner and projects and papers up to our ears, we’re going to need something that requires as little effort as possible but can still offset all those “treat yo’ self” trips to Chipotle. So, what’s a girl to do? One word: CrunchLive.  This innovative online gym combines exciting classes and ultimate convenience with brilliant results. With over 70 online classes and a FREE 30-day membership, you’re well on your way to getting a Beyoncé bod without ever leaving your living room. Score 1 for the lazy college student.

4. Add a little decoration

Whether it’s a brand new outfit or a fresh haircut, there are things that have the ability to make us feel just a little more special as we take on the day – things that add that little burst of confidence and put a pep in our step. Sadly, since we can’t afford a new wardrobe every day, we’re forced to find alternative ways to make it happen. Our new favorite way? Blink Tattoos. Nope, we aren’t talking the kind you got in your party favor bags when you were five. These next-level temporary tattoos feature state-of-the-art designs and sophisticated styles that scream summer fun. They’re like your perfect piece of body jewelry that you won’t end up losing by the end of the night. Check em’ out here.

5. Make some bank 

Truer words have never been spoken, Kristen Wiig. With lots of spending and very little time for earning, living on a college budget is probably one of the harshest realities we face during our four years here. We try to be frugal, but with trendy clothing stores lining the streets and a Starbucks on every corner, our bank accounts are destined for disaster. The worst part? There’s no one here to tell us no. Our perfectly straight-minded parents are miles away, and we’re left with a credit card and a weak sense of self-control. To say we could use some financial advice would be an understatement. Luckily, Nicole Lapin is here to help us get it together. With a 12-Step Plan and expert financial wisdom, her RICH BITCH book is sure to lead us on the right path to becoming total girl bosses.

6. Embrace your passions 

Remember that thing we said about appreciating the little things? Yeah, it’s important. They say that each day you should do something you love, and you will truly begin to discover your inner happiness. For us, that’s contributing to the online community we hold so dearly to our hearts – HerCampus.com. As writers, we are passionate about what we do and strive to share that with our readers. So what’s the latest from Her Campus? Your go-to guide to succeeding at life, The Her Campus Guide to College Life. This book has everything from how to get along with your roommates to how to avoid the ‘freshman 15,’ and no topic is left untouched. As much as we don’t like to admit it, there are times when we could use a little help. No matter what your current crisis may be, we promise this book will get you through it. 

7. Follow your dreams 

The ultimate cliché. From Disney princesses to college professors, you’ve heard it many times before, and the sentiment itself can be easy to brush aside. That being said, there’s no denying its power. It makes life worth living and has led some of the most powerful humans on this earth to accomplishing things they never thought possible. Although we’d prefer to skip ahead to the part when our dreams are finally met, we all know it takes a few stops along the way. The first step? Taking advantage of the opportunities you are given and jump-starting your career in the right direction. Need an example? Try the G.E.M. program from chloe + isabel. Not only do they make incredible jewelry, but this fashion brand has also crafted a one-of-a-kind campus merchandiser program that takes entrepreneurial college students and molds them into brilliant, career-driven professionals through specialized training, resume-building opportunities and real-world experience. Sound too good to be true? We promise, it’s not. Follow the link to learn more. 

Well, there you have it – a few ideas to get you well on your way to celebrating yourself. What’s that? You don’t have any of those fabulous things we mentioned? We can change that!

Enter to win our #HCSurvivalKits giveaway by telling us how you celebrate yourself! Simply tweet at @HCPennState using the hashtag #CelebrateYourself or send us an email at psu@hercampus.com and be sure to include your name and year. Winners will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis. Best of luck, collegiettes! 

Rachael David is currently a senior at Penn State University and serves as the Campus Correspondent for Her Campus Penn State. She is majoring in public relations and minoring in psychology. Her love of creative writing and all things Penn State is what inspired her to become a member of the HC team in the fall of 2013. Her background experience includes working for the Undergraduate Admissions Office at Penn State as a social media intern in the spring of 2014 and is currently working as a social media intern for an internet marketing company in Harrisburg called WebpageFX. This past summer she also served as a PR intern for Tierney Communications. Rachael enjoys anything media related especially catching up on her favorite shows, including Saturday Night Live and any show on Food Network. She has a passion for food but also loves being active and spending her free time running or hiking. She hopes to gain more experience in all aspects of the media industry during college and plans on pursuing a career writing for a life & style publication in the future.