Tips for breaking your routine and making life more interesting in college.
Before coming to college, one piece of advice I heard the most was to find a routine. Many people told me that the comfort of having a routine would make stress feel more manageable and life feel more normal. And while this may be true, not many acknowledge the struggles of routines: the boredom and monotony that ensues with doing the same thing day after day. Breaking routines can be not only fun, but also healthy. So, if your life is starting to feel like a series of groundhog days, these 11 tips will help.
Get off campus
A change of scenery might be all you need to make life more exciting. Getting off campus by trying a new restaurant, going to a museum or checking out other parts of Gainesville will help to make campus feel a bit less suffocating. And you don’t have to go far; the bus system or a quick drive can take you to spots that feel worlds away from campus if you put in some effort. I’ve found that even being in a public place near campus helps because you’re surrounded by different people and age groups that make life feel like more than just college.
Connect with nature
While the comfort of AC is nice, staying inside all the time can get boring. Nature has always been a healing force, so getting out can keep your mind refreshed. If you have a way to get there, you could check out the beach, a state park or one of the many natural attractions Florida offers. If not, there are plenty of ways to connect to nature close to home. Lake Alice and Lake Wauburg are both close to campus, for example. Even just doing some work outside can help break your routine.
Find friends
Life is often most boring when it is alone, so reaching out to friends is important. Make plans to get food, study, watch a movie or do another group activity. Being around people can take your mind off the things that make life feel uninteresting (i.e., school, work, homework) and just give you something fun to do.
Try something new
This tip is obvious but still important. There are tons of ways to do this from going to a new club meeting, walking around a different area of campus or going to a coffee place you’ve never been to. Fortunately, college campuses offer lots in terms of activities and events, so if you put yourself out there and actively search for things to do, you’ll never be bored.
Exercise
Exercise might already be in your routine, but either adding exercise or switching up the exercise you already do can be helpful. If you usually do cardio, try hitting the gym. If you’re a die-hard gym rat, lap swimming might be of interest. Exercising not only clears the mind, but it also builds good habits and makes you better able to handle other daily tasks. If a lack of motivation is the reason you feel stuck in your routine, exercising can regenerate a sense of purpose and make you less stuck.
Focus on a hobby
When you put all of your time into school, hobbies can be somewhat thrown to the side. Picking a hobby back up is a great way to take a break and unwind. Don’t let your hobby and free time suffer for your routine; incorporating your hobby into your routine can make it feel less like a chore and more like something you enjoy.
Study in a new location
Campus is huge, so finding a new location is easy. Being somewhere new may increase productivity by limiting distractions, but it can also provide you with the opportunity to meet new people, see new things and have new experiences.
Do something festive
October signals the ramping up of festivities until January, so take advantage of the many activities. Holidays give reason to go out and do things you wouldn’t normally do, so get that pumpkin spice latte! Or visit a pumpkin patch, go shopping for fall clothes and do some holiday decorating in your room.
Refresh your space
This is an extremely underrated way to break routine. Simply cleaning your space or adding more dorm decor can make the days a bit more interesting. The goal in breaking routine is newness. When you do the same thing over and over, you want to do something new to break the cycle. Surrounding yourself with new things, whether it is new wall art, new pillows or new desk organizers, is enough to temporarily break the cycle.
Refresh yourself
If refreshing your space doesn’t help, try refreshing yourself. This doesn’t mean you have to go out and get a tattoo or brand-new hair color — you could simply refresh your wardrobe, try a new hairstyle or makeup look or even put some extra effort into an outfit. Looking fresh and put-together can be motivating for some, so it’s worth a shot if you feel like you’ve been living in sweatshirts.
Change your schedule
College life is stressful. Between classes, club meetings, studying and other extracurriculars, the day-to-day routine can feel monotonous and overwhelming. Luckily, dealing with this stress can be as simple as switching the order in which you do things or the location where you study. College is all about trying new things and doing so shouldn’t be sacrificed for the sake of sticking to a schedule. Routines are important to have, but they’re also important to break to stay motivated, interested and happy.