I think we’ve reached a weird in-between period in the year, where it’s not quite the festive season yet but we’re almost there! For students like myself, we’re currently drowning in midterms and the weather is getting colder and more gloomy, which really affects my mood 🙁 So… I’ve been making a conscious effort to do something every day that brings me joy!
Even though there’s just so much to get done in the day, taking small breaks or incorporating activities that make me happy just makes each day so much better. As I mentioned in one of my recent posts, I’ve become much better at listening to my emotions and knowing when to take a break or what I need to do when I’m having a stressful day. I feel like it’s a common stereotype or even something that students like to brag about, to be so busy that they have no time to do anything except work. But I really don’t think this is sustainable! I think it’s important to do something every day that gives you joy. In fact, taking those breaks to do things that make you happy can actually make you more productive in my opinion.
So, in this blog post I’ll share a few of the things I’ve been doing each day to bring me a little joy and keep me grounded in what can sometimes be a very stressful environment!
Matcha Lattes
I mean, this one is kind of a given for me if you know anything about me! I’m absolutely obsessed with matcha, and having a latte a day just makes me so happy (not to mention that they give me some much-needed caffeine). I also usually walk to a coffee shop to get a matcha latte or end up sitting at a cafe at a few hours and doing some work there which also makes me very happy – it’s nice to get off campus for a bit!
Coffee Shop Trips
It’s a running joke with my friends now that I am the queen of acting like I’m the “main character” and going to study in coffee shops. I don’t really like studying in my dorm room, and I do go to the library to get some work done, but I really like getting off campus most days to work at aesthetic coffee shops. There are just so many hours to spend studying, and changing up the setting really helps me. I also just find that getting away from campus (where I live, work, and socialize) is really nice and I just like seeing a different crowd and doing some people watching while I’m doing my work!
Long walks & runs
I found out that I love long walks during quarantine and I’ve always liked runs! Like I mentioned above, I make an effort to get off campus once a day, especially since the Georgetown neighborhood is so beautiful. I usually walk to and from coffee shops, and there’s something really grounding about listening to music or talking on the phone to someone while walking outside! I also have a new favorite running route that I like to run around sunset most evenings that takes me towards the DC monuments which I think are so pretty!
Christmas Music
I think I may get hated on for being so early in listening to Christmas music, but it just makes me feel so cozy! I really don’t like rainy gloomy days, and I find that the only way for me to enjoy them is to feel as cozy as possible, and for me, that means listening to Christmas music! I’ve been loving putting on a Christmas playlist while I’m studying or in the evening turning on my fairy lights and listening to music while I get ready for bed!
Cozy Movie Nights & Baking
I’ve been loving having cozy movie nights with friends where we all bundle up and watch a good movie together! Sometimes we’ll bake cookies or brownies to have during the movie and I just love these evenings with friends, especially after a busy week!
Chats with friends
I think this one is very much a given, but I wanted to include it here as it’s something that genuinely makes me happy! After a busy day, grabbing dinner in the dining hall with friends makes me so happy or even running into a friend on the way to class, or going for a little walk together all bring me joy 🙂
These are some of the things that I’ve been doing every day that make me excited to get out of bed and get the day going! I think it’s so important to have a few of these little things woven into my day and to balance out the seriousness, stress, and rigidity of college academics with a few things of my own choosing that make me happy! Let me know in the comments what you do in a day to make you happy!
See you next week,
