Your Guide to Finding a College Routine
Because we need to get shit done, but we also want to have fun… right?
by GIANNA DAVIS ★ SEPTEMBER 21, 2022
Whether you are a first-year student who has never been this far away from home or an upperclassman who just simply misses their summer lifestyle, the transition from summer to fall is no easy feat. Ready or not, we all need to find a new routine to get through each day.
Creating a routine to balance productiveness and happiness does not happen overnight, but it can definitely come with practice and habit. Begin by writing everything down—from what you need to get done for a class to what you want to get done, like going to the gym or seeing your friends. There are only so many hours in a day, so allocate time for what needs to get done first, then fill in free time with your desired activities. Here are some reminders as you develop your ideal routine:
#1: Food is your fuel.
Prepping your meals in advance is a great way to get all your meals in for the day in order to keep your energy up. It’s also both time and cost-effective (just what every college student wants to hear). For ideas, you can look through platforms like TikTok or Instagram. Did you know that even Trader Joes has a college-kid cookbook?
Credit: Pinterest
#2: Get enough sleep.
Hot take: having a restful night of sleep and waking up feeling energized is not unattainable for college students—turn off the lights at a reasonable hour and get a full eight hours of rest each night. I know it’s easy to get swept up in swiping through TikTok, but you can save that for tomorrow. Trust me, your mind and body will thank you for it.
#3: Get some exercise.
Whether that be going on a hot girl with your friends, taking a Zumba class at Barnes, or even just taking the longer route to class. Stepping into a gym surrounded by sweaty guys and scary equipment you don’t know how to use can be super intimidating, but there are so many smaller ways to get active that you can add to your routine easily, and you can do it with your friends too.
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When you create your own routine, you are practicing time management. This is arguably one of the most important lessons of being a college student and for very good reason. With your classes, managing your time is essential to becoming a successful student. While working to sufficiently complete assignments within a few hours might give you an adrenaline rush, it is highly stressful and ultimately does not benefit your overall comprehension as compared to devoting an adequate amount of time to prepare, work on, and finalize that assignment. Getting ahead on schoolwork will allow you to become a more well-rounded student which will help you not only in the class that it is for, but for other classes you are taking that semester and in semesters to come, as well as during your professional career.
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Most importantly, do something each day that makes you smile. Seriously, don’t push this to the back burner–you deserve to look forward to something, no matter how big or small, each and every day.
At the end of the day, we are humans before we are students. Routines are created to keep us organized, balanced, and ultimately, sane. Don’t worry if you haven’t found a routine that works for you quite yet—just make sure you hold yourself accountable, and you’ll get there. I promise.
Cover Photo Credit: Pinterest