It’s officially spring break season, besties. We can finally come out of our hibernation era, and we’re one step closer to hot girl summer. Whether you’re planning a fun trip with your friends or going back to your hometown, we can have the rest that we deserve on spring break. Unfortunately, spring break also brings the added pressure of getting “bikini body ready.” (We get no peace.) And with countless workout routines and “what I eat in a day” videos flooding your FYP, it can be nearly impossible to stop engaging with diet culture. The pressure to change our bodies is everywhere.
When you hear “glow up,” you probably think about making big changes to your appearance. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for changing your hair, getting a fresh set of nails, and experimenting with a new makeup look. I already know that I’ll be impulsively changing up my own appearance in some way (stay tuned). But a mental health glow-up is underrated: There are so many ways that you can use this break to practice mindfulness, and become more present with your thoughts and surroundings. It’s the perfect way to recover from midterms and prepare for the rest of the semester.
Dieting to get a “bikini body” is out this season, and mindfulness is in.
- Start practicing gratitude.
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One way that my friends and I have embraced gratitude is by devoting a separate text thread to it. We take photos of something that we’re grateful for every single day, and then we send them in the group chat. I’m usually not much of an optimist, but I’ve actually seen a huge shift in how I go about my daily routine. With this practice, I’m actively searching for things that I’m grateful for. It’s even more fun if you’re all going back to your hometowns – you get to see what everyone’s up to.
- Read 5 pages a day.
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If you’re a little behind on your reading goal, you’re not alone. I don’t read nearly as much as I hoped I would in college. For anyone who can pick up a pleasure book right after finishing school readings, I admire that. Spring break is an opportunity to pick up a new book that you’ve been wanting to start. Jumping back into reading after a slump can be hard, so set a realistic goal for yourself. Even if it’s just 5 pages a day.
- Drink plenty of water and fix that sleep schedule.
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So much of our mental health is tied to how we treat our bodies physically. As college students, we’re pretty much in a constant state of stress. Whether you pulled some all-nighters for last-minute midterm studying or you were throwing back a concerning amount of energy drinks (real), spring break can be a recovery period for all of us.
- Do a social media cleanse.
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Some people might think about a complete social media detox for spring break (which you totally can do), but I’ve found that it’s not very realistic for me. When I finally have some downtime without schoolwork, I’m going to mindlessly scroll. So, if you know you’ll be on social media anyway, take some time to think about how the people that you’re following affect your mental health. Something that I’ve found beneficial is to be mindful of influencers that don’t serve me. Don’t be afraid to unfollow or mute them.
- Do a digital cleanout.
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Another way to clear up space in your mind is to clear up space on your devices. Think about deleting apps that you don’t use, deleting pictures that you don’t need, and deleting texts that are old and cluttering. Another idea is to delete subscriptions you don’t use. My bank account gets charged for at least three recurring subscriptions, and I don’t even know what they are.
- Give yourself unconditional permission to do literally nothing this break.
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It may seem like you need to put in the work for a mindfulness glow-up, but sometimes one of the best things you can do is to just tap out. Contrary to what hustle culture tells you, you don’t have to earn your rest. One of the best things that I can do for my mental health is to have my “rotting” time in my room. It could be exactly what you needed this whole time – there’s no reason to feel bad about it.
- Nurture a hobby you used to love or try out a new one you’ve been thinking about.
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What’s your next era going to be? There are so many possibilities. For me, I’m entering my cooking era. This is one of those times that growing up in an ingredient household has its advantages. Maybe you got into baking during quarantine – make some banana bread and embrace the nostalgia. Or maybe you used to love painting, or you got into crocheting and then stopped.
- Start practicing affirmations
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One affirmation practice that you can try is saying kind things to yourself in the mirror out loud. It may feel weird at first, but adding this to your routine could be the confidence boost that you needed. Affirmations are just one way to show yourself some love every morning to start your day right.
- Do some gentle exercise.
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Heavy on the “gentle” here! We all know that regular exercise has mental health benefits, but we also want to make sure that we’re doing it for the right reasons. I recommend finding a form of joyful movement, a type of exercise that’s actually fun for you. It could be some gentle stretching or yoga, a hot girl walking on the treadmill, or maybe a fun dance class. Ask yourself, if this exercise didn’t physically change my body in any way, would I really want to be doing it? How would I choose to move my body?
- Think about practicing meditation.
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If you’re anything like me, meditation may seem pretty intimidating. It usually looks like me trying (and failing) to make my mind go completely blank, and then becoming frustrated that I’m not “doing it right.” It may last for three minutes if I’m lucky. But you don’t have to be an expert to start practicing meditation. Think of it as an opportunity to slow down and be gentle with yourself. Give it a chance, even if it’s only for one minute!
- Clean out your closet.
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A closet cleanout is just as cleansing for the mind as it is for your space. Think about getting rid of clothes that you never wear, or clothes that just don’t fit anymore. For those who struggle with their body image, it can be really difficult to let go of clothes that you’ve outgrown (even if they’re years old). But it’s completely normal for our bodies to change as we get older, and growing out of clothes is a normal part of life. If anything, it’ll give you room to experiment with your style and get to know your body. A cleanout could allow you to figure out what clothes make you feel comfortable and confident, regardless of what’s trendy or what you think you “should” be wearing as a college student.
- Spend time in nature.
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It’s time for us to touch some grass, besties. You don’t need to be going on some extravagant vacation to embrace time outdoors. If you live somewhere that’s still cold, bundle up and take a quick walk. Studying for midterms while cooped up inside isn’t doing our mental health any favors. I haven’t seen the sun in days, and I’m probably not the only one!
- Prioritize the friendships that make you feel good.
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If you’re heading back to your hometown for spring break, you may be feeling pressure to meet up with people from high school. But there’s nothing more draining than making plans that you’re not excited about, simply because you feel like you have to. Your time and energy are valuable, and you deserve to prioritize people who uplift you, and who value your friendship. If your gut reaction to hanging out with someone is dread, that’s something to reflect on.
- Set goals and intentions.
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Setting goals or intentions is usually associated with the new year, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Spring break is the perfect time to reflect on how your semester has been going. You can think about what areas of your life have been feeling good, and maybe some areas that you’d like to change. Maybe you protected your peace a little too much and didn’t prioritize time with your friends as much as you wanted to. This is also a time to be gentle with yourself – you can move on and finish the semester strong.
