Most of us have seen the videos on Instagram and TikTok of people becoming “that girl.”
She wakes up early, makes her bed, does sunrise yoga wearing an adorable matching workout set and heads to class drinking a homemade non-dairy latte. Then she posts it to TikTok with the perfect trending sound as the background.
Many of these influencers portraying themselves as “that girl” do so in expensive Lululemon clothing, blend their smoothies with fresh fruits and vegetables and have a gorgeous living space all to themselves. Others portray themselves as unrealistically hyper-productive — getting up at 6 a.m. and working out, studying, cleaning and filling every minute of each day with productive work.
The problem with this trend is it can promote a lifestyle that simply isn’t attainable, especially for college students.
Many of us have shared bedrooms in crappy apartments, can barely afford fresh fruits and vegetables and certainly can’t afford Lululemon. We also have enough on our plates with classes, schoolwork, jobs and extracurriculars without forcing ourselves to wake up at 6 a.m. to journal and do yoga.
Despite all of this, I think this trend has its merits when it comes to romanticizing your day-to-day life in simple ways.
The key is understanding that becoming “that girl” does not have to look the same as influencers You should do what makes you feel motivated, beautiful and like you’re living your dream life.
Being “that girl” is not a full-time job. You need mornings where you sleep in, wear your ugliest (but comfiest) clothes to class and don’t bother with your hair and makeup.
But when you do have the motivation to be productive, making an effort to feel like “that girl” can be really fun.
I say she’s just a girl who moves and fuels her body, takes care of her mental health, does what she loves and feels cute doing it.
No matter who you are, what you can afford, how you eat or how much free time you have in a day, it’s important to set aside the time to take care of yourself.
Here’s some tips and tricks to become “that girl” in a realistic, healthy and affordable way.
Create a routine for yourself
Regardless of what your average day looks like, it’s important to establish some sort of structure you can rely on. This routine can be as simple or complex as you need it to be.
It could be a nighttime routine of showering, changing, doing your skincare and brushing your teeth before bed. It could also be as simple as making your bed in the morning before leaving for class.
accessorize
A great way to elevate any look and make yourself feel more put together is to add some accessories. Replace the hair tie with a cute claw clip, or add a pair of earrings and a necklace. Even a casual sweatshirt and leggings can suddenly feel like an organized, planned outfit.
Look good, feel good and do good.
fuel your body And make it pretty
You already need to eat three times a day. Why not enjoy it?
Romanticize the cooking process by listening to music and dancing around the kitchen while you cook. Arrange your plate in a pretty way that makes it look and feel like a restaurant.
If you’re getting takeout, make it a nice experience. Light a candle when you sit down to eat.
If you’re on the go, find a bench with a nice view or a table in a building on campus to eat. Slow down and enjoy your food.
Make an effort to eat a balanced mix of protein, grains, fruit, vegetables and dairy. Don’t stress if every meal isn’t perfectly balanced, but you’ll feel major differences in your physical and mental health when you’re getting the appropriate amounts of macronutrients and micronutrients for your body.
As college students, we all can tend to slip into the habit of “forgetting to eat” while doing homework or running from class to class. But eating an adequate amount is important for your mental and physical well-being.
According to Cecilia Snyder, MS, RD, “three studies found that eating more fruits and vegetables is linked with less worry, lower tension, and greater life satisfaction, while a literature review linked higher diet quality with improved mood.”
Your diet plays a role in both your physical and mental well-being and it needs to be a higher priority than it usually is for most college students.
exercise and feel cute doing it
It’s easier to find the motivation to work out when you feel put-together. However, this doesn’t mean you need to spend hundreds of dollars on workout gear. Some great places to find cute workout clothes for cheap are TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Walmart, Amazon and thrift stores.
All of my athletic leggings and tops are from TJ Maxx and I absolutely love them. The most I’ve spent on a pair of workout leggings is $15 and I always get compliments when I wear them.
You can find super cute colors and pairs with pockets (which is so convenient if you plan to wear them around campus). I also love their tennis skirts with built-in shorts.
If you want to feel like “that girl” at the gym or at home doing pilates in your own apartment, it doesn’t have to be expensive.
You can go all in on nice headphones, an expensive yoga mat and name brand sneakers if you’d like, but you absolutely don’t have to.
Protect your peace
College is tough and it’s important that you take care of your own peace in whatever way is best for you.
I like to out time for myself for hobbies like reading and painting or spending time with friends. For others this might be watching a certain comfort show, drinking tea or taking a long shower.
Whatever you need to do to keep yourself in a positive mental space, make sure you carve out at least a few minutes a day for yourself and only yourself.
The classic “that girl” approach to this is making a smoothie or latte in the morning, doing some yoga or journaling. If this works for you, go for it.
Journaling or keeping a diary is a great way to clear your head and have a record of your day to day life.
I also just love doing brain dumps, where I write down anything I need to do that day or week, any thoughts I have and anything else that comes to mind. That way it’s all out of my head and written down somewhere and I don’t have to keep a running list in my head.
keep a clean space
This is obviously easier said than done. It’s tough to stay on top of laundry, dishes, vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom and all the other things that go into keeping a clean house, especially when the semester starts to pick up.
What I think is most important (and also takes the least amount of time) is just keeping a small space consistently organized for yourself.
After a long, exhausting day, it’s important to come back to a space that feels clean and welcoming.
For me, this is my bedroom. If I don’t have time to do laundry or vacuum, that’s perfectly fine. But it’s important to me to make sure my room feels somewhat organized.
This means keeping my nightstand and desk clean and making my bed. I also like to keep a candle on my nightstand that I can light while I get ready for bed and do some homework before I go to sleep.
Having a space that smells good, looks clean and feels comforting is a great way to help destress.
a study by Princeton University researchers discovered that clutter can make it difficult to focus on a particular task. More specifically, they discovered that a person’s visual cortex can be overwhelmed by objects not related to a particular task, making it harder to focus and complete projects efficiently.”
Sherri Gordon, CLC
A cluttered space can lead to difficulty in completing everyday tasks. An organized space can completely alter the way you view needing to complete an activity.
find your playlist(s)
The right playlist can motivate you to do anything you set your mind to. I’ve got a playlist for working out, an indie pop playlist for walks to class, an instrumental piano playlist for reading, painting, or studying, an upbeat playlist for singing along while driving and so many more.
A recent favorite playlist of mine on Spotify that absolutely gives “that girl” vibes is called “POV: You’re a Big Time Magazine Editor in the Early 2000’s.” It’s full of fun, girly 90s songs from all your favorite rom coms. If you want to feel like an early 2000’s “it girl” like Rachel Green, Andie Anderson or Elle Woods, it’s the way to go.
don’t worry about a specific aesthetic
There are so many different aesthetics floating around on wellness TikTok and Instagram. There’s the workout aesthetic with the matching sets and smoothies, the student aesthetic with sweaters and textbooks, the cottage core aesthetic with cozy homes and hot tea and so many more. The key is just doing what works for you and makes you feel like yourself.
As long as you are motivated and content, you’re “that girl.”
decorate your place with cheap finds
Having a well-decorated place helps with your emotional wellness and general comfort and pride in your home. However, decorating doesn’t have to be expensive.
Home Goods always has a clearance section with cute decorations for less than $10. If you keep an eye out for sales on Amazon, you can find great deals on decorations like fake plants and table centerpieces.
Some great decoration options include framed pictures of you and loved ones, strategically organized books, flowers, lamps, plants (real or fake) and reed diffusers or candles. You can also decorate with your own artwork.
Save some painting ideas you like on Pinterest and get to work. This adds a personal, unique touch to your place. Fairy lights are also a great way to create a warm, cozy feel in a space.
Whatever decorations appeal to you, make sure your place feels like you.
explore new hobbies
A great way to spend your free time (in a way that’s more productive than scrolling on your phone, yet is still relaxing) is trying new hobbies. Read, go on a walk, try a new recipe, draw something, try photography, do a colorful makeup look for no reason, sing, run, do a puzzle, start making a scrapbook, knit, go bowling, do a word search — anything you feel like trying.
Do something low stress that makes you feel like you’re nourishing yourself mentally or physically.
get eight hours of sleep a night
This can be a struggle sometimes, and it is something I absolutely have issues with. However, it is so important to get enough sleep every night. The reason “that girl” can be so productive throughout her day is because she has energy from getting enough sleep.
A bedtime routine can really help to put yourself to sleep at an earlier time. It will take some time to adjust, but after a while your body will know what to expect before bed and will start producing melatonin as you work your way through your nighttime routine. Avoiding caffeine late in the day, turning off your phone about an hour before bed and making sure you don’t do homework in bed are also great ways to help yourself fall asleep earlier.
Whatever works for you is amazing, but it is important to get your full eight hours of sleep so you can function properly throughout the day. I didn’t this past semester, and I felt the lack of sleep in my energy levels and my physical health. I was sick every two weeks, mostly because sleep is important in helping you fight off germs.
So, if you want to be “that girl” and take care of your physical and mental health, the most important tip I can give is to sleep.
I hope these little tips and tricks help make you feel more like “that girl” and help to improve your mental and physical health.