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St. John's | Culture

Ways to Truly Romanticize Back-to-School Season

Sofia Guastella Student Contributor, St. John's University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at St. John's chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Getting back into the swing of things when September rolls around is not always easy. However, romanticizing anything you do in life is a tactic that will help you regain control of your schedule without the existential dread. The fun part is, you can romanticize almost every aspect of your routine, no matter how out of control it gets. Here are some ways to help you get comfortable with your new semester and live your best life as a student. 

When romanticizing life, start with thinking of a favorite show and character. Envision yourself as the main character in your own little world, and think about how you would ideally wish to maneuver in said show. Whether you are just going to the library to study, meeting with an advisor, working on campus or balancing after school clubs you have to think ‘how would I want my character to go through my day?’ How would you like your character to dress, do their hair and makeup or even decorate their room? Little things such as dying your hair in fun colors, buying cute school supplies, painting your nails according to the seasons, bedazzling your laptop or trying out new outfits are ways to start encouraging you to truly embrace your character.

 Romanticizing your academics can be fun! Remember that you are at school for a reason and that you have purpose. Search up a Pinterest board for your career/major to not fall into the funk of drowning in dull assignments.  Browse the thousands of different collages and aesthetics for all fields and careers that showcase your passion in a colorful and determining vision. This can give you the drive for pursuing your major in a new light and be a reminder of why you are studying what you are! Consuming career related media is also a great way to romanticize your academics as well. Watching student “Day in the Life” vlogs, movies and/or television shows that are about your field of study are engaging forms of immersing yourself in someone else’s shoes for a moment. These always give different perspectives of someone in your exact career path, can give insightful tips and pointers you may have been looking for and helps you make a relatable connection that you can add to your own routine. 

Time for yourself is always a need in college life. Listening to music in a quiet setting and being with your thoughts is something that helps clear the brain from any chaos that comes with the hustle of being a student. You can sit on a park bench watching the leaves fall or the birds fly, journal in a notebook filled with your favorite stickers or even just stare at the ceiling from your bed blasting your favorite shuffled album. Find a small cozy cafe nearby and set up shop to do some assignments while wearing your favorite sweater and clogs, with a drink of choice in hand. This helps reset your mind from confusion and doubt by just being present for yourself, your character. 

All in all, remember that school life does get stressful, but you do not have to conform to the demanding humdrum schedule it can present to you. Building your character and romanticizing every aspect of your life and schedule helps break the barrier of being in an academic funk and re-embelishes that spark you have inside to get through the semester as lively and smooth as possible. 

Sofia Guastella

St. John's '27

Sofia is a current bubbly and enthusiastic third year Communications major / Business Admin & Fashion Studies minor student at St. John's University in Queens, NY. She is one of the new Staten Island transfer students that migrated to the St. Johns Queens Campus when the hometown Staten Island St. John's University closed for good in the Spring of 2024.

When Sofia is not hiding in her academic books or figuring out campus life, you can find her playing tennis at any local tennis court, participating in New York City nightlife with her best friends or hitting the gym and overall staying active. To her, an active mind and body is a healthy one and helps her get her creative juices flowing. She is also an active concert and theatre nerd and you can always find her where the music is.

Sofia has always enjoyed writing as it releases all the words she cannot say out loud and helps her spill all her thoughts into reality. Some of her inspirations of the journalist realm consist of the ever determined and spunky women such as Louis Lane ("Superman"), Andy Anderson ("How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"), Rebecca Bloomwood ("Confessions of a Shopaholic"), and Jenna Rink ("13 Going on 30"). Needless to say, this path has always been consuming Sofia's mind and time for years and years. She cannot wait to be a part of a creative team of individuals who share the same passion of expression!