Spring semester is in full effect and it’s time to make adjustments. Coming from a fall semester of managing three jobs and being a full-time student, I’m prioritizing making space in my schedule for some “me-time.” As college students, we come back from winter breaks and just jump back into the same routine we stressed about all fall semester. Well, to prevent that stress I’m planning ahead. Find out how I’m creating new habits this spring semester and leaving that stress behind.
Starting Off With A Whole New Work Schedule
Being that fall semester I was working three different jobs back-to-back while being a full-time student, I was running low on energy almost every day. By the time I got back into my dorm all I ever wanted to do was sleep. This was the first no-no, time for adjustment.
As soon as all my supervisors sent out the request to change work schedules I was on top of it. I wanted space for me-time while still making the money I know I needed(hence the reason I have three jobs). I made it a priority to have a long weekend rather than a day off in the middle of the week like I did the previous semester. Since I consider myself a morning person and can barely stay up until midnight (I’m a grandma, I know) I made sure to keep as many early shifts in my schedule as possible. As a Resident Assistant, night shifts are a given so that wasn’t changing. I just planned Resident Assistant shifts solely on days I didn’t have classes so early the next day.
Managing to coordinate my schedule with evenings off — well, for the most part, I am able to have a lot more time for homework, me-time and most importantly SLEEP. So far, so good right?
Classes 5 Days A Week? No Thank You
When it came to creating my class schedule for the spring semester I knew I needed a day off. Like I mentioned before, I prefer to have a long weekend rather than a day off in the middle of the week. So that’s exactly what I did.
Honey, when I tell you trying to get a day off was a hassle this semester… I’m pretty sure I changed my schedule 10 times in the matter of a week before I was actually satisfied. I wanted to meet all my requirements and goals for the semester while not throwing out my mental health. This required a bit of sacrifice, I managed to get Monday’s off but all my classes are 3 hours long… love that for me.
Although my hours of class time aren’t ideal, it gives me a long weekend and that’s good enough in my book.
Self-Care & Healthy Lifestyle
Now that I’ve got some space in my schedule it’s time for some self-care and healthy habits. I used to have a bad habit of considering self-care as putting a mask on for two minutes and going to bed with a headache after a long day. Boy was I wrong…
My self-care routine now consists of a whole day for just me and nights focused on winding down. On my day off, I start off with sleeping in… look, my beauty rest comes first. Then I focus on self-maintenance. This can mean anything from washing my hair, exfoliating my body, putting on a mask, doing my nails, all things maintenance. I enjoy reading books, blogs, or writing to calm my mind. If you’re looking for a new read, the current book I’m looking at now is We Hope This Reaches You In Time. To wind down, I love to turn on my essential oil diffuser and listen to music. My current favorite EP I’m listening to right now is Medusa’s Mixtape. All of this combined and I’m a happy camper.
To top off my new habits, I promised myself I would live a healthier lifestyle. Don’t get me wrong I’ll still take a trip to Chick-Fil-A here and there but I’m making adjustments.
I gained a lot of weight during my fall semester due to stress and lack of a proper diet, I didn’t want that to continue. The gym is now in my baby planner, my gcal, my dry erase calendar, and even my daily schedule printed out on the back of my door 5 days a week. I find ways to incorporate healthier meals into my diet and stress eating is no longer in my vocabulary. Finding the confidence I once had is a priority for me and having a healthier body and mindset is my goal.
Spring semester is all about making adjustments for me and leaving negative tendencies behind. As college students, juggling so many things at once becomes the peak of crazy for us. Allow yourself to realize where there is a need for improvement and create balance. There’s no need to overwork yourself into a migraine. Create new habits for yourself this semester and see how much happier you become.