October is here, which means midterm season for most colleges is upon us as well. With midterm season comes infinite stress, 3 a.m. cramming in the library, and the remnants of five cups of coffee still buzzing in our system. Studying for exams and writing papers can really suck the joy out of the college experience, but there are still ways you can be productive while making self-care a huge priority! So grab your suitemates/ housemates/ floormates and get comfy—we’re bringing back the joy.
- Yoga Night
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Many studies show that yoga helps ease stress and make you feel more relaxed with yourselves, your surroundings, and whatever issues could be going on in your life. This one in particular, by Harvard Health, talks in great detail about how exactly yoga can help you physically, mentally, and emotionally deal with stress in your life. Round up your suitemates, order these killer yoga mats, put on your favorite meditation playlist on Spotify, dim the lights, and get to relaxing while also getting a killer workout.
- Facemasks
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Who doesn’t love skincare? Stock up on a variety of facemasks that will help with any “problem” areas on your face. Put on some good music, play a movie, or just catch up with your suitemates and vent, vent, vent about your stress.
- Movie Night
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Speaking of movies, have a girls’ night in! Put your work aside for one night, get cozy on the couch with plenty of blankets, popcorn, or candy (or all of the above!). Whether it be chick flicks, horror, or “rom coms”, get everyone together and take your mind off whatever is bugging you by losing yourself in a new world of film.
- Paint Night
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For all my artsy and creative girls out there, this idea might take a little bit more splurging, but it’s well worth it. All you’re going to need are a few canvases, a few basic paint colors, and some brushes. Grab your laptop, put on a Bob Ross tutorial (or any other tutorial you’d like), and paint your hearts out! To make it a little extra fun, have a competition to see who can make their painting look the most like the one in the tutorial. A little healthy competition always takes the edge off of stress!
- Game Night
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Game nights are my personal favorite idea! Whether it be video games, board games, or anything you dream of, playing games are a fun way to bond with your suitemates and also figure out what types of games you all individually enjoy. A few great games my suitemates and I have played in the past include Pictionary, What Do You Meme, Cards Against Humanity, Never Have I Ever, Exploding Kittens, and much more.
- Baking
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Anything with food is a contender for me, to be honest. Baking is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and put you and your suitemates in a good mood, while also giving you guys a great bonding experience. Last year, my suitemates and I got together and baked a giant cookie and got to decorate it. It was one of our favorite memories of the year, and we had a great snack to eat at the end of it too. A fun project would be decorating cookies and eating them warm with hot chocolate—the night before an exam—to enjoy a sweet study break.
Whatever the stress is, try to put it aside for just for a single night and take it easy. You won’t regret it—after all, you’re spending it with the people you love and you’re bonding with them. Hopefully, you’ll even learn a thing or two about managing your stress too.