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Rose quartz face roller and guasha with Vitamin C oil
Rose quartz face roller and guasha with Vitamin C oil
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SBU | Culture

Small Things that Elevate My Life

Meghan Lex Student Contributor, St. Bonaventure University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

I have been very slowly thawing out from my winter depressive episode. 

To help speed up the process, I re-started gratitude journaling. I was an avid bullet journal-er in high school, and I always made sure to include a gratitude page, where I would write down three things in my day that I was grateful for.

Now, I take a slightly different approach and write about one thing that made my day better every night. It’s mostly small, random stuff, but appreciating these small, good things helps recenter my thoughts.

So, here’s a short list of things that brighten my day and elevate my life:

Castor oil

I have always had really bad skin. It’s always itchy and dry, and it makes me miserable. 

Recently, however, I started mixing castor oil into my lotion, and let me tell you: My skin has never been so smooth. I got it for Christmas to use on my eyelashes, but I have found so many uses for it!

I use castor oil on my face before I slug, massage it into my scalp and use it as a lip mask. My skin has never felt so hydrated!

Fun little drinks and snacks

I love a treat, but as a girl who stresses out about spending money, my treats are sacred. I am not a fun coffee-every-day girl. It tried to be, and it ruined the magic for me.

Now, I’m a little fun drink girl 1-2 times a week, which makes it so special! I make it a whole production. I plan out all the work I have to do, queue up a good playlist, find a cute spot, and romanticize a study session.

The $1 Poppi at Walmart was a true game changer. As a sipper who rarely finishes a drink in a day, I have a stash of them, and I feel like it’s the deal of the century.

Snacks are the same vibe. I’ll make a cute little snack plate a few times a week while I doom scroll with a goofy smile on my face.

A walk

I have been banned from exercising for a few months, but given the nice weather, I have chosen to disregard the ban and indulge in a walk here or there.

I have always loved a walk. I put on a podcast or one of my favorite playlists and just strut. I always feel reenergized after.

As a nature lover, the trail off of campus is especially exciting. When the weather is bearable, my boyfriend and I will balance on the logs in the woods behind campus and look for the occasional critter, and it’s always the highlight of my week.

Headbands

I know this is so obnoxious, but I am a headband girl. I like being a headband girl. I feel more put together and personable when I have a headband on.

Not completely sure what the psychology is on this. I feel like it might have something to do with Pinterest braining washing, but I feel like a headband gives me a little boost.

I just like a little color coordination with a little accessory. It makes me happy.

A craft

I am a crafter with no creative skills. It’s quite tragic, but as a perfectionist, it’s also healing to do something just for fun and not worry about the outcome.

I recently made a felt poke llama and he brought me so much joy. He’s lopsided and his eyes are not in the right spot, but he’s just so goofy and I love him.

I have plans to make mosaic pavers for my mom’s garden when I’m home next week and I am very excited. I also have plans to get back into sewing this summer!

Meghan Lex

SBU '26

Meghan Lex is a planning enthusiast, serving as Her Campus at SBU's co-president. Last year, she was the events and sisterhood coordinator and thoroughly enjoyed crafting bonding events for the chapter. Her writing often centers around wellness, but she dabbles in cultural and political commentary.

As a strategic communications student, Meghan is passionate about writing and researching. While her current career aspirations are fuzzy, she would love to explore the world of public relations. On campus, she is a member of SBU's D1 cross country and track team, SBU@SPCA, Jandoli Women in Communication, and College Democrats.

Meghan currently fills her free time by chatting with her friends and rewatching Glee for the fifth time. Although it may be controversial, she is an avid Rachel apologist.