As the spring semester sets upon us, it’s so easy to feel like you’re living the same life every day. The same basic tasks are repeated with seemingly no end in sight. Wake up, eat, go to class, and sleep are just a few of the responsibilities bestowed on each of us. It can get tiring and overwhelming to feel your life stay the same, especially if it feels like you’re wasting your college years. I’ve often felt the weight of college on my shoulders (figuratively but also literally because I always overpack my backpack). However, I’ve changed up a few of my habits to make college life a bit more bearable when times get tough.
- stop and listen
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I put this recommendation first because it is probably the one I need and do the most to romanticize the semester. It’s so easy to always have music blasting in your ears, but it’s important to hear what life has to offer; maybe it’s the chugging of the train that seems to pass at inconvenient times, or maybe it’s the squeal of the bus that you are always rushing to. All these tiny sounds ground you in this life because you’re hearing them, and you are here! The chatter of other college students as they pass by or the rain hitting your umbrella are there if you only let yourself hear them. It’s not easy to just listen, but it makes you appreciate college life just a little bit more.
- talk to others
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I know what you’re thinking… easier said than done. I’m not the most social person, but interacting with others is so important in improving your day. You can always start with a small interaction and go up from there. I recently spent time talking to a friend over an impromptu lunch date. I just happened to see her and asked if I could sit and eat with her. I had a great time talking with her, and it made my day just a little brighter. After we finished up, I was still exhausted from all my college responsibilities, but it felt better to know that I was not alone in this struggle. It also became easier to focus on the positives of the day more than the negatives, which is key in romanticizing the semester.
- music, music, and more music
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I know this contradicts suggestion number one, but there’s always a time and place for both! It’s all about balance. I personally love to listen to music when I first wake up. I’m not always the most excited to get ready in the morning, but listening to music helps me so much with that. I listen to different playlists, and I sometimes explore a new music genre if I’m feeling up to it. This has honestly made my mornings suck just a little less and stops me from scrolling through social media first thing in the morning. I’ve recently dabbled with listening to a podcast in the morning, but I’ve found that music works the best when I’m not in a great mood. In any case, music is always the key to romanticizing just about anything.
- dress how you like
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TikTok, Instagram, and even Youtube make it seem that the key to romanticization is to dress in a productive or aesthetic style. However, this conception makes me feel like if I’m not in the best outfit possible, there is no point in romanticizing the day. Well, I’m here to tell you that there absolutely is a point! I personally dress on the comfier side, but that doesn’t mean I’m not just as productive as the girl dressed in a cute outfit on TikTok. Now, if dressing a certain way makes you feel better and makes it easier for you to romanticize the semester, then you do you! It’s just not something that works for me, but I do know that what I wear makes me happy. Dressing however you like makes it that much easier to romanticize the hard parts of the semester.
- set a goal
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College life can quickly become boring and overwhelming to think about. That’s why I like to have a goal that has nothing to do with college but everything to do with me. It can be just about anything as long as it’s something you enjoy or want to improve on. Working on my goal, little by little every day makes each college day better. If anything, you don’t have to romanticize your whole college day; you can just romanticize working on your goal! It will still improve your day and mood, which is really what we are all looking for when romanticizing life.
Surviving and romanticizing the semester is all about balance. Without balance, it is easy to become overwhelmed with one task or suffer from a buildup of emotions. Once you adapt and work on romanticizing the semester, it will practically become second hand nature.