As just about every college student to ever exist knows, paying and saving up for your education is an almost impossible job that never seems to end. We work and work and work to get a paycheck that isn’t really ours because it is immediately going towards something school-related; whether it be tuition, textbooks, or the gas you need to drive there. However, this kind of never-ending cycle is detrimental in every way–physically, mentally, and emotionally. There comes a point where you feel like you can’t do it anymore and just want to give up. This is the perfect moment to treat yourself.
The most important step of treating yourself is taking a day off. Sometimes it’s impossible to get more than one, so that day off should be all about what you want to do. Don’t make plans with people–even if you haven’t seen them in months–if know it’s not what you really want. You don’t owe anyone anything. If all you desire is to lay in bed, eat ice cream, and watch dumb YouTube videos all day, then do it. It might feel like a waste of a day, but it could be exactly what you need to get back to work and solve the world’s problems.
Another important part of treating yourself is either buying or making a meal for yourself that you love. Now, this probably sounds like it could mess with your budget, and if you have expensive tastes it might, but it shouldn’t. Over the summer I realized that if I could live on soft pretzels, I probably would. The trick is finding a food that always hits that spot in your stomach, but doesn’t make you wish you never spent money on it. It’s a strange balance, but perfectly doable and very worth it.
The most important thing to remember when treating yourself is that it’s supposed to be a treat. Anything that makes you happy and less stressed can be a treat, and you shouldn’t be afraid to search for moments like that more often. Everyone deserves to be happy, especially if they’re working towards a goal like a promotion or a degree.