Living during a pandemic and being in quarantine has changed our lifestyles and our college experience immensely. We often fall into phases of having little to no motivation, lacking structure in our lives and being online for hours on end. This school year can mark a fresh start for all of us, when we can continue to enter into adulthood and focus on our goals. Creating new habits and routines for yourself can bring you out of a slump and give you a boost in life, which I feel like we all need a little of this year.
In an attempt to create a routine for ourselves, both separately and together, my roommate and I talked endlessly about what goals we wanted to reach in varying aspects of our lives. We were able to come up with a few key activities that we could do every week to ensure we’re improving, being productive, and being present during these confusing times. Here are a few things that you and your roommate can do to make the most out of your days and help keep you on track.
- Eat meals together
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Whether we have our meals sitting at the table and talking, or plopping down on the couch to watch TV, we try to share as many meals together as possible. It’s a great way to get out of your room, step away from schoolwork and enjoy someone else’s company. Rather than limiting ourselves to a specific time to eat together, we set a time frame, which creates more flexibility to accommodate both of our schedules. Although this does not occur every meal, it is a habit we have built that creates consistency in our weeks and gets us off our phones and enjoying the moment.
- Start watching a show together
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There’s nothing like cuddling up with blankets, snacks and a friend to dive into a new TV series. You can turn the lights off and maybe light a candle or two to give you a movie theater vibe with a comfy and homey twist. You and your roommate can start a new show and experience the story for the first time together, raving about your newfound favorite characters and story arcs. You can also share your most cherished series with them that they’ve never seen but you know they’d love, and they can do the same with you. It’s a great way to settle down for the night and unwind, discover new entertainment and bond with your roomie.
- Have a chore day
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Who doesn’t love living in a clean space, especially during times like these? Having a designated chore day—ours is Sunday—serves as a reset for the upcoming week as you can get your space clean, do laundry, go to the grocery store, meal prep, etc. Sometimes these things seem like the last thing you want to do, but chore days don’t have to be a downer. It’s the best time to blast your favorite songs and have fun while doing something mundane. You and your roommate can scream-sing the best songs and split up the tasks so it can be done even faster, leaving you to have personal reset time. Chore days allow you to not only end up in a fresh environment but gets you ready to go for the next week, and you’ll be proud that you were so productive.
Even if you don’t have a roomie, they are helpful yet exciting ways to pull yourself out of a rut and add structure to your life.
These are all activities that can inspire you to put your phone down and live in the moment. Now, more than ever, we need routines for ourselves that make us feel like we aren’t living in a dull, lifeless cycle. It can be difficult to find the motivation to get yourself to do these things or even start your day sometimes, but it just takes getting over the initial starting point to feel the benefits almost immediately. Once you see how these activities can add excitement to your days the power of habit will transform your weeks and months. You got this!