As a college student with a typical college student’s budget and schedule, luxuries often seem out of reach. Sometimes, the slog from campus to work to meetings and back seems like an endless, bustling haze I’m unable to break out of. Life doesn’t necessarily become as much about living as it does about frantically getting yourself from place to place and task to task until you can finally fall asleep. When my days do get this ridiculously busy — ahem, such as during midterm season — I find that having select and not-too-terribly expensive indulgences gives me something to look forward to, something to relax with, and assures me I do have a life of my own. Here are the “sweet treats” that keep me going throughout the week:
FRESH FLOWERS
While it may seem extravagant, the $4.99 bouquet of spray roses from Trader Joe’s has never done me wrong. To make them last as close to a week as possible, make sure to cut the stems (diagonally) and ensure they have fresh water daily. If they’re looking particularly dry or wilted, try adding ice cubes to their vase, or in my case, their cheap (but chic) mason jar. Having this little ritual, which I either do before I leave for classes or before I go to bed, is such a lovely few minutes of my day.
TEA & CROISSANTS
I don’t drink coffee, but every Friday morning (when I thankfully don’t have a lecture) I splurge a little over $11 on a matcha latte and pain au chocolat at the cafe across from my apartment building. Candy and chips can make my stomach hurt, but I can honestly say I have never, ever, in my life, regretted a pastry. I always stick around for an hour or two to enjoy the ambiance, the free heating, and get some reading done.
Sunday DINNer
Every week, I plan on making myself at least one “special” meal I can enjoy that’s slightly more elevated than my typical day-to-day dinners (lots of boxed mac-and-cheese, quick fried rice, and cheap bean stews). On Sundays, however, I like to prepare some meat for a nourishing, hearty meal: chicken breast, salmon, or steak with potatoes and roasted veggies. Or, I make a classic, cozy comfort food, like Gigi Hadid’s infamous pasta. It’s like a reward.
READING FOR FUn
As an English major, I do an awful lot of (incredibly interesting) academic reading. However, since starting university, it’s been difficult to remember to read for pleasure, and I miss reading novels without frantically annotating what I think will be important for an exam or essay. To remedy this, I try to spend fifteen or twenty minutes a day reading something entirely for myself, whether it be philosophy or literary fiction. I say try because I’ve honestly been trying to finish Anna Karenina for several months now. But I find that simply prioritizing my time and remembering that the things I love are just as important as the things I’m obligated to do has made an enormous difference to my weekly routine.