The past few months at college have probably been some of the hardest and most stressful of my life. I worked hard in high school and thought I studied a lot, but it’s been nothing compared to how much I have to study at college. With all the stress of tests and homework and grades comes the need to relax. I won’t lie, I’m still not the best of this at times, because I can get so caught up in my busy to do list that I can’t get school out of my mind. I need to learn to switch from school mode to relaxing mode. The longer I’ve been here, the better I’ve gotten at learning time management and realizing the importance of self care. Taking a chunk out of your day solely for yourself can make you feel so much better, and these are some of my favorite ways to do so!
Read a feel-good book // I absolutely love to read, and I blew through so many books over the summer. Unfortunately, with all the school books I have on my syllabi for multiple classes, I haven’t made as much time for my personal readings. There’s a big difference in reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Harry Potter, haha. Recently I’ve been trying to read a few pages of a book each night before I go to sleep. I just finished Last Chance Summer by Sarah Dessen and it was really good!
Go for a run // Running is always such an escape and stress reliever for me. Exercise in general instantly improves my mood, but nothing compares to a run around campus with a podcast and good weather. I’m already dreading this cold weather coming that makes it so hard to run outside! If you don’t like to run, I also love spin classes, pilates classes, or even just the elliptical. It’s always hard to make time and make myself workout, but I feel so much better after I’m done.
Hot shower + speaker // I could stay in the shower forever, just relaxing with the warm water and listening to something on my shower speaker. I go back and forth between a podcast (my faves are Passion City Church DC and Gals on the Go!) or worship music.
Grocery shopping alone // This may sound weird, but I literally love grocery shopping, and I really don’t mind going by myself. I’ll pop in my airpods, grab a cart, and peruse the aisles for half an hour. It’s so relaxing to me for some reason, so try it sometime!
Drawing/journaling: I did this this past Sunday and it was so nice to unwind before bed. I love putting a Netflix show or Youtube video on my phone and either journaling about my day or a journal prompt, or, more recently, I’ve been trying to draw and doodle more. I love looking at bullet journal ideas on pinterest and using colored pens to doodle in my agenda.
Text/call a family member // I’ve been doing this so much more since coming to college, and it’s easily one of the best parts of my day. I love texting with my siblings or facetiming my parents at the end of a long day. It’s so fun to catch up with them and I get a little taste of home amidst the busy college routine.
A few other random ways I like to relax: taking a walk outside, cooking a healthy recipe, cleaning/organizing my room, coloring in an adult coloring book, browsing pinterest, and going for a drive. What are your favorite ways to unwind?
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