A Quick Pick-Me-Up
By Jason Combs in College Life on February 11, 2016
It’s inevitable, eventually during your college career you’ll need a pick-me-up. For some this may come at the end of the term, for me it was always worse at the beginning. It was like spinning my wheels on ice. Whenever I felt down I could always rely on these things to get me back into a positive and productive mindset.
Exercise
It’s amazing how a consistent workout routine can reinvigorate your mind. There is a ton of science behind how physical activity affects mental state. Personally, working out was an easy way to escape and turn off my mind. I would turn on my favorite playlist and the stress of college would be put on hold. The thing is, it doesn’t matter what you do, just start creating healthy habits now. I still do some things I did while I was in college, and I have gone back to workouts that I did in high school.
I like sports, and there is a lot to be said for joining a team. I played some intramural sports, plus I played in a couple weekly men’s hockey leagues. It’s not as competitive as division sports, so lighten up. The best part is that you get to spend time with friends and make some new ones, see more on this later in this blog.
Whatever your tastes are, when you need to jolt your energy a workout is a great place to start. Check out what your campus has to offer, many have on-campus health centers where you can work out and get info on intramural sports. If you need ideas on what to do when you get to the gym check out this Pinterest Board.
Read a Good Book
I was told this tip is counterintuitive, but stick with me. You’ll have a lot of reading to do in college. Depending on your major and skills it can get overwhelming very quickly. The thing is, sometimes more is better.
Every semester in college I picked a book to read before the end of the term. Pick something you find entertaining, for me it was a lot of “self-help” books and the occasional leadership book. I feel that it is easier to read things you want to read, and the more reading you do the easier it is to suck it up and read those textbooks.
On top of that, when you take time to focus on your interests you grow as a person. This will help you professionally and socially in college. I believe that you’ll learn as much outside the classroom as you will inside. Balancing your reading is another way to achieve good work-life balance. If you are struggling to find something to read, check out this Pinterest board for some great suggestions.
Connect with Friends
Don’t use SnapChat or Instagram, and don’t go old school and log into Facebook. No text messages, instant messages or even a phone call. Make real connections with real people. Even meeting new friends and fostering a new relationship will help. If you are feeling down and needing some energy, your friends are the best people to turn to. Hopefully, they know what you like and what you need and often times they get a boost from you just as much as you get from them. Make sure that you don’t dominate the conversation, you’ll likely want to stay friends. I always enjoyed doing simple and cheap things with my friends. A good hike or an hour at a coffee shop are great ideas.
Do a Little Shopping
I’ll caution you first, make sure you don’t get carried away, stay in your budget. That said, checking out the latest tech, testing a new pillow, or searching for some new threads are great ways to relieve stress and refresh your mind. You can do the proverbial two birds thing by shopping for clothes that will make you look your best in interviews as graduation nears. I am reminded of a student I advised long ago. He had a great resume and sounded like a good kid but kept getting turned down for jobs. I talked to a friend that interviewed him and he said the guy showed up to the interview in ripped jeans! Stressed or not, he could have used this tip.
The ladies here at EducationQuest can help you out with this, they Pin some great things to help you out:
Remember to spend some time each semester refreshing your mind and spirit whenever you feel the weight of college holding you down.
