This part of the semester is the most gruelling since our brains are fried and remain on autopilot; the only way to get through it is to take it day-by-day. Coming into the spring and summer is not as exciting as it used to be. Instead of summer vacation, many of us have to pick up extra hours at work, which is a bummer. However, there are small things we can do to try and maintain our sanity and truly enjoy what little free time we have.
Take yourself on a date
I highly recommend going to a restaurant alone. While we may think that’s odd and everyone will be staring at us but remember, most people are too concerned with themselves to make judgements about you. Splurge on a drink, an appetizer or a main and then take yourself out for ice cream. If the restaurant is too daunting, go to a local coffee shop and people watch. Take it one step further and pack a picnic and a book and you’re set for a few hours. Bonus points if there is access to a car. Go to the mall or the farmer’s market alone. No time constraints, no draining the social battery, just vibe and have a main character moment.
Make everything aesthetic
Canva and Pinterest are our best friends here. On top of a personalized playlist, Spotify and Apple Music allow the function to change the playlist cover. Make a vision board as a desktop background. Or, after winding down for the evening, make it a point to set up the ideal surroundings in your space. From personal experience, that’s when I can sit in bed listening to music and crocheting, with fairy lights and candles.
Something I’ve started doing in the winter is taking photos of everything (seriously). In a car? Photograph your reflection in the mirror. Going on a walk? Snap a pic of your footprints in the snow. Although this takes up precious phone storage, having a trail of memories from the seemingly mundane days is worth looking back on.
Spring Cleaning
This one takes a little more effort; however, it doesn’t have to be done all at once and picking and choosing the right days are critical. When there is a sunny and windy day during spring, open the windows and start decluttering.
A side benefit of spring cleaning is going through your closet, finding forgotten gems, and donating what isn’t useful. Make new outfits, and more importantly make a list of new clothes to purchase (even if there is no intention of buying them). This also acts as a time for mindless productivity. Decluttering a familiar space is safe and it can bring out items and memories we forgot we had.
As an introvert, I’ve learned that making the most out of my time alone has been vital to my productivity both in school and in all other facets of life. Having the time to build that independence has also helped to center priorities and understand where I find true happiness. It’s is not selfish to center ourselves as the main characters sometimes. Well, it may be a little selfish, but it’s worth it.