As we enter week 7 of the semester, it’s natural to start to feel a little slow, sluggish, and bored of that mundane routine that you have unknowingly fallen into. If everyday has started to feel the same, it’s definitely time to throw your schedule a curveball and add some color and character to your life. Listen up Collegiettes, it’s time for Operation Renovation: The 3 R’s That Will Revamp Your Routine.
Redecorate: Start with the place in which you spend the most time. Even if you only use your house, apartment, or dorm for sleeping, a few inexpensive updates can add an element of energy to your home that can ultimately boost your mood. Start with that bare wall that you have been agonizing over for months and do something about it!
Utilize that never-ending stack of photographs you have accumulated over the years and make a frame collage. For around $20 you can buy a variety of frames in all different sizes and shapes and arrange them in a way that is cute and eclectic all at the same time.
Not a big picture junkie? Chalkboard paint will be your best friend. Tape off a section of your wall with Scotch Painter’s Tape and apply 3 coats of chalkboard paint. For about $25, you can have your own creative canvas to make all of your decorative dreams come to life. With its ability to be erased and redone with ease, your new chalkboard will be the gift that keeps on giving.
A new energetic living space may be just a trip to the Wal-Mart Home and Living section away.
Revive: If you’re anything like me, getting up everyday has become a struggle. As much as we all have tried to stick to our plan of getting up early and being productive in the mornings, a few extra hours of sleep can be all too enticing. It’s time to revive your mornings and attend an exercise class. Not only will exercising in the mornings wake you up, but it will also give you a ton of energy to power through your day. And we all know that extra energy can be the difference between a good mood and a bad one.
Mt. Mitchell Fitness Center in the Student Union offers a great morning spin class that has become my absolute favorite. Running Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-10:30 a.m., this class will truly kick your butt into high gear. The class includes fat burn, hill climbing, and sprints that work all of those stubborn muscle groups in your legs and buttocks. It truly is my morning savior.
If you’re more of a low-impact exerciser, try a morning yoga class. Offered on Wednesdays from 9:30-10:45 a.m. and 8-9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Mt. Mitchell, this class will relax and revive your body. Yoga is a great way to leave the stress of yesterday behind and find a fresh new outlook for today.
For more group fitness classes offered by ASU, visit http://fitness.appstate.edu.
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Reshape: Add some variety to your Plain Jane routine! You know that hour that you have in-between class that you spend Facebooking in the library? Instead, meet a friend for coffee at Espresso News. Variety and spontaneity can seriously reshape your schedule and entire day. After all, it’s so easy to fall into a rut when you become accustomed to that same thing everyday. But familiarity is no fun!
Try getting a group of girl friends together for dinner and a movie night in the middle of the week. Most of us will use the excuse: “I am too busy,” or “I am exhausted,” but sometimes taking a step back from our busy lives can be just the remedy we need to reshape our mood and attitude.
There is no doubt that falling into a rut and succumbing to your mundane routine can be the downfall of your week. Incorporate the 3 R’s into your everyday life and you will rediscover that colorful and energized you just in time for spring.