As someone who dreads the end of summer and the back-to-school season, I wanted to approach the start of this new school year differently. I realized that starting the quarter on a good note could really set the tone for how my year will go. To switch my mindset, I wanted to build a new routine while still finding joy in the midst of the back-to-school grind. Now that the back-to-school season is in full swing, here is my guide to romanticizing the start of the school year while building an exciting routine!
While staying on top of all our responsibilities is crucial, incorporating fun into day-to-day life is equally essential.
This is my third year here at UC Davis, yet there is still so much that Davis has to offer that I have not experienced yet. Rather than continuing to put things off and waiting for the ideal time, I’ve finally been crossing things off my bucket list. If there’s a workout class you’ve been meaning to try or a coffee shop you’ve been wanting to go to there’s no time like the present. Not only is it fun to experience something new, but these are things that can easily be incorporated into your everyday routine that make the school week a little more exciting. It sounds simple but changing up your routine rather than falling back into old habits can really feel like a fresh start. As a third year, I felt I had already settled into a routine that worked for me. Now I realize that the little switches I’ve made have made this back-to-school season feel more exciting. It’s natural to want to stick with the things that feel familiar. Once I find a study spot I like or a restaurant with good food I stick with it. Yet I realized that switching things up and continuing to seek out new opportunities is essential to not getting stuck in a rut.
Building a fun routine is individual and likely varies from person to person. Personally, I’ve been trying to prioritize self-care this back-to-school season. I wanted to be more intentional about taking the time to incorporate self-care into my everyday routine. The pace of the back-to-school season is definitely a huge shift from the slower pace of summer living. Slowing down when I can even if it’s just to do a hair mask or to try out a new face mask has been a great addition to my routine.
Finding ways to slow down in the midst of the school grind is important. Building these habits early on allows for you to settle into a routine that works for you when school really starts to pick up. Just because summer vacation is over doesn’t mean that being intentional and living through exciting experiences has to end.