We all know that there’s been this frequent phrase being thrown around social media the past two or so years: “you GOT to start romanticizing your life!” *Cue that one TikTok sound that went viral awhile ago… lol*
Honestly, if you know me outside of simply being a writer for HerCampus, you have definitely heard me say this exact phrase a few times before.
I know there are definitely some who think this phrase can be stupid, and some live by it religiously (like myself), and I’m sure you have your own opinions on the matter. In a world where we feel pressured to share our every move with the world on Instagram or our Snapchat private stories, I’m sure we all feel pressured to make our seemingly mundane lives look more glamourous.
As I have continued throughout my college experience at HC and grown up, my life has seemingly started to become more boring. I believe that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if you know how to remind yourself to find pleasure in the things that are simple.
During my semester in NYC this spring, I work a 9-6pm job Mon-Thurs where I sit in front of a computer and work on a variety of projects given to me by my supervisors. And let me tell you, this is a HUGE lifestyle adjustment. There are some days I definitely want to stay in bed all day and binge Gossip Girl, but obviously cannot. How do I get through the mundane schedule I sometimes feel like I’m living? I romanticize what I can.
I think that this is the key to happiness that a lot of people don’t talk about, because some even argue and say it’s silly or unrealistic. However, when I wake up in the morning excited to sit down and do my makeup, or pick out a cute outfit for work for the day, I’m taking simple parts of my routine and brand them as something special that I can look forward to. These little switches in my mindset are what has turned me into an optimistic, rather than a realist or pessimist.
Even as a college student on campus last semester, I would spend hours in Dinand literally hating my life as I studied for my Cog Neuro exams. However, once I began to make this action of “intensely studying” more appealing in my mind, it seemed less daunting and stressful. When I needed to study for those exams, I would drive myself to Acoustic Java, get an iced white mocha latte, and do work there for a few hours. Making these small adjustments to my perspective were crucial to motivating me, and allowing me to look forward to the “boring” parts of my day.
While obviously life gets incredibly harder the more we grow up, embracing those hardships is totally necessary. I’m not saying we should pretend that our difficult interactions with a boss or getting a mediocre grade on an exam you studied hard for should be romanticized. I think it’s all about balance, and balance is the key to really being happy where you are.
One of my New Year’s Resolutions for 2022 is to learn to be happy with where I am, instead of constantly worrying about where I’m going, or how much “happier” I’ll be somewhere else. Romanticizing my “boring, college student life” has been the first step to reaching this resolution, and it’s done wonders for me.
I hope that this article is helping you put things into a little bit of perspective, and that you’ll start to take on these habits too!