By Amie Yansane
Since school started five weeks ago, my email has been filling up nonstop with notifications of assignments and exams. Although I’m a junior now and no longer new to the routine of college and its expectations, I still find myself overwhelmed with the novelty of a semester. So, recently I found a new trend on TikTok where people describe what they’re doing to “fill their cup”. Since I’ve decided to take on this trend myself, I’ve been finding a balance between academics and my personal life. Here are a few things that I’ve been trying to brighten my days!
Club Sports and Exercise
This is my first year I’ve been involved in a club sport, and I’m wishing I had joined sooner. I’ve found that joining a club sport was a perfect opportunity to build community and boost my mood with exercise. I’ve only been in a club sport for a little less than a month, but it has started to challenge me physically and has allowed me to have something to look forward to every week. Shoutout to Towson’s Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Club!
Art
While I’m in school, I find it increasingly hard to keep up with one of my passions, art. This semester, I was fortunate enough to take a course on non-fiction graphic novels and comics. Since the first day of classes, I have found myself more immersed in the arts. I’ve explored a few more mediums since the course started, and my mood is instantly lifted when I discover a new one.
Rest Days
Rest days can be quite hard to fit into my schedule, but even if I can only fit in a mere few hours of rest into my day, I still consider it a day of rest. During this day or a few hours I have to myself, I don’t do much. I allow myself to exist in whatever space I’m in and accept that I’m not doing anything during that period. Although it may feel like a “lazy” activity, the physical and mental rest I’m taking allows me to gain the energy I need to keep going for the week, thus filling my cup.
Social Media Swap
One of the last things I do to fill my cup is what I call a “social media swap”. Even though I got this trend from TikTok, I can only stand to be on the app for only a few hours every couple of days because of constant overstimulation with news, opinions, etc. Whenever I feel I need a break from apps like TikTok and Instagram, I swap them out for less stimulating apps. A few of my go-to apps are Substack and Arca. Both apps allow me to unwind slightly, while still engaging with others online, especially creatives.
Since discovering this trend, I found navigating college as an upperclassman to be a lot easier. Allowing rest and joy during the semester is something I recommend, so find ways to fill your cup!